Inhale Me In, Bleed Me Out
by silverfox113
Summary: Seven Horcruxes, Two enemies, One love. When Hermione Granger is captured and taken to Malfoy Manner she thinks it is the end for her, but little does she know it is only the beginning... As she is forced to co-operate with her enemy, death-eater, in need of redemption, Draco Malfoy. As they come to learn that love can be found even in the darkest of times...
1. Chapter 1

Author Note: Please note that the first chapter is in third person but all other chapters will swap between the first point views of Draco and Hermione... Please be gentle, it's my first fan fiction story... Yes, the first chapter is rather short but they will get much longer I promise! Reviews make me happy!**  
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**Inhale Me In Bleed Me Out...****  
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**A Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger Story...**

Chapter 1... The end of one story... The start of another...

"_On the first page of our story_ the future seemed so bright, then this thing turned out so evil, don`t know why I`m still surprised..."

Rihanna- Love the way you lie...

Harry Potter was pacing. Yet again...

"Come on Hermione, why are you so determined _not _to admit it?! Vol"

Harry demanded.

"HARRY, NO!" Hermione cried.

"-damort"

But it was already too late, the sneakoscope that was-so far silent lit up and disturbed the night with its bright colours that mocked the three terrified teenagers that stood almost alone in the forest that had once been a place of happiness and laughter of the 422nd quidditch world cup was once hosted there four years ago- but to Harry, Ron and Hermione that seemed like a life time ago... like so many other thing's.

There was a sudden load _crack _from outside their tent and both boy`s immediately grew paler, but Hermione's brain was already working on overdrive. To her the only sound was not heavy, excited and slightly hasty footsteps drawing ever nearer but was her own frantic heartbeat smashing against her ribs. Her only thoughts were, `_I have to do this for them`_

So she spoke softly just so her voice was only audible to them, just these words were only for _her boys..._

"Harry? Ron?" She whispered.

They looked at her then clearly expecting her to come up with another brilliant plan to get them out of another mess they somehow found them self's in yet again, but no, she just looked defeated. They could barely hear her but when she did speak she just sounded so hollow and cold.

"You both of you- you're just..."

She swallowed the suffocating lump in her throat that left her hollow inside but left her heart numb and shattered barely keeping time with the frantic pounding of her pulse. The next thing Harry knew he was yanked on the arm, dragged forwards and crushed in an all too familiar hug with his two best friends that as always nearly knocked him flat.

Ron.

But he was immediately cut off when all the air was sucked out of his lungs as he and Harry both flew backwards, they knew straight away what had happened. Both boys' bodies froze and became rigid as the after effects of the full body-bind charm _petfrificus totalus _took a hold of them_. _

Hermione just stared at the two men both lying there and for one fleeting moment remembered the two small boys she first met on the train almost seven years ago. The smallest whisper of a smile could be seen on her face as she recalled the one with the dirt on his nose and `The Chosen One`.

"We don't have much time. It`s just-I-I" She took a deep shuddering breath and let a few tears stain her face. "You- you're my brothers-and you will go the rest of your lives never truly knowing how much I love you both..."

That was when she finally broke, bent down slowly and gently brushed her lips against their foreheads. The last sound she heard before she was roughly grabbed by the arm and yanked out the tent was both boys muffled sobs echoing through the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Wow... I cannot thank all of you enough! (But I shall try)... I know that five reviews might not seem a lot to some people but this has defiantly made my day (technically my night).

A special thank you to the eleven people that have favourited, followed and reviewed my story: TheyGreyLadyy, immapoetandiknowit, mimzy69, Priya and MFINGA25 and all of you. So this next chapter is dedicated to you! Also PM me if you have any requests or challenges of one-shots or other stories that I could do.

Preferably Dramione.

Anyway, that's all for now so thank you so much, hope you enjoy this next chapter and the chapters to come but most of all...

KEEP CLAM AND DRAMIONE ON!

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**Inhale Me In Bleed Me Out...**

**A Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger Story...**

Chapter 2... Captured...

"_Fear is how I fall_, confusing what is real..."- Linkin Park- Crawling...

_Hermione`s POV..._

"Well, well, well, what do we have here boy's!?" As soon as I heard the hunger and sick glee in that voice I knew immediately who it was. There was no chance of me getting out of this now.

"Tell me sweet-heart? Who are you?" Snarled, Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf.

I immediately panicked, if I slipped up then that could be it... I thought faster than ever.

"P-Penelope Clearwater, H-Half-Blood" I closed my eyes and prayed to God that it was enough. I tried not to whimper or shrivel away in disgust as I smelt his blood socked breath inches away from my face. I felt ill when I saw the twisted smile that tainted his face.

Just then a snatcher I hadn't realised had entered the tent in the first place came storming out with this week's copy of _The Daily Profit._

"She`s lie 'in Penelope Clearwater`s at Hogwarts right now"He sneered; face a light with a terrible sense of uncontrollable glee. He stopped dead and ice raked into my gut when I saw his eyes widen with sudden recognition as he stared apparently dumbfounded by what he saw.

"Err... boys? W-We've got a-" He stammered.

" . . " Spat Greyback. Despite the immense danger I was in now I could not help but a small smile grazed my mouth- for a man that puts his fist (and teeth) before his brain that was a surprisingly intelligent sentence for such an unintelligent being.

"I-I can't believe it!? It`s HER! The MudBlood who was men 'to be travelling with`Potte'r and that bloodtraiter Weasly!" I now looked at Greyback; that was a grave mistake for as soon as brown locked on to blue they flashed with an uncontrollable rage. I could feel him shaking with suppressed anger from ten feet away.

When he next spoke his tone was deadly quite.

"Boys... were not taken her to the ministry"

The one thing I thought right at that moment was: _ I wish someone would just hurry up and save me... before it`s too late.._


	3. Chapter 3

**Inhale Me In Bleed Me Out...**

**A Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger Story...**

Chapter 3... The manor Part 1

"This pain is just to real... _there`s just so much that time cannot erase..._"- Evanescence- My Immortal...

_Draco's POV..._

A few hundred miles away a broken soul sat bolt upright in an arm-chair near a blazing fire place... and grey-blue eyes that once radiated arrogance and spite, now seamed to belong to that of a man – no not man, but a small eleven year old boy. And the only thing that plagued Draco Malfoy's every waking thought was: _I wish someone would just hurry up and save me... before it's too late._

The loud _crashing _of the door nearly flying off its hinges brought me out of my thoughts. I looked round to see Bellatrix Lestrange dragging a barely conscious form into the centre of the drawing room floor.

"DRACO! Where are you, boy!? Now as you can see we have a little" -She looks down at the figure that I still can't see because of she's still standing in front of them. - "Guest..." She sneers and it knocks me sick.

"Now then lovely... what should we do with you then?" She had a look of deranged enjoyment in her eyes that leaves me rooted to the spot in horror.

I knew it was not a question. I knew that once Aunt Bella got an idea in her head, no matter how sick, no matter how horrifying... she would never let it go...

It was then that I heard her speak for the first time in over twelve months. And it was barely even the smallest whisper:

"Please...h-help me"

I felt numb with shock- and for the first time in my life for a _MudBlood_- a sudden rush off distress became apparent.

_No, no it can't be. She's got Granger. But if she's here then where are Potter and the Weasel, are they dead? Are they alive? I may hate all three of them with a passion but I never wanted them to die, not for this... _

I was torn, help her or take the easy way out... the safer way and run for it...

But before I could even process that one thought I heard Bellatrix all but shout what was-having suffered it oh so many times at the hands of my own farther Lucius Malfoy- to me the worst unforgivable curse that existed.

"CRUCIO!"

Granger's blood-curdling screams drowned out any other sound and for the first time in my life I felt someone else's pain and it was unbearable. I clenched my hands into fists, nails breaking the skin- causing the smallest droplets of blood to break the surface- and held my breath to stop the whimper that was threatening to pass my lips, barely blinking back tears as I did so, trying desperately to mentally block the MudBlood's scream's from my mind. I thought of another time when I was forced to stand exactly like this and in a sudden rush of madness I remembered Albus Dumbledore's words to me on the horrific night that will haunt me forever...


	4. Chapter 4

**Inhale Me In Bleed Me Out...**

**A Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger Story...**

Chapter 4... Memories... Albus Dumbledore...

"So take this night. And lay me down on the street. _I know I'm not forgiven__but I hope that I'll be given, some peace . _. ." Black Lab- This Night...

_Draco`s POV..._

"Good evening Draco, what brings you here on this fine spring evening?"

Albus Dumbledore questions and I panic, if this is the moment when I must kill him then I have got to have the upper hand.

"Who else is here I heard you talking!" I try to keep my voice level but I can feel it cracking under the heavy strain of more tears yet to be shed. I can only hope he will break faster than me.

"Oh, I often talk aloud to myself I find it extraordinarily useful... Have you been whispering to yourself Draco?" When I take in a sharp breath and swallow nervously he adds:

"Draco you are no assassin"

How- how can he say that! I know I'm not but if I don't then he'll kill all of us mother, father an- and me so in panic I desperately splutter.

"How do you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you!"

Then to my horror he immediately understands.

"What? Like cursing Katie Bell and in return hoping she would bear a cursed necklace to me? Like replacing a bottle of mead with one lased with poison? Forgive me Draco but, I cannot help feel these actions are so weak that heart could not have been in them." Those were the words that struck me the most. Because they were true, I would never strike down and murder an innocent man. I was not Voldemort or my father.

So in an act of franticness I drag up the sleeve and reveal the mark that will be forever branded on my skin, that will always me want to retch every time I take one fleeting glance at it and declare:

"He trust's me! I was chosen!"

The look of shock and surprise gives me a sense of foreboding but then he proceeds to take his wand out so I think fast.

"Expelliarmus!"

His wand sores through the air and lands with a clatter on the cold, wooden floor.

I'm shaking now. I can't do it and both of us know it. But I have to.

"Draco..." Just then soft clanking can be heard but I keep my eyes locked on to those of a far better man than I will ever be but when he next speaks, strangely I don't detect the smallest hint of fear. Just acceptance and it unnerves me as if I was the one at wand point.

"There are others, how?" Again he sounds curious.

"The vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement, I've been mending it"

I answer.

"Ingenious!" He praises.

"Let me guess it has a sister, a twin?" He asks.

"In borgin and burkes they form a passage" I reply

"Draco years ago I knew a boy who made all the wrong chooses please let me help you"

He begs I know he`s trying to save me and my already fragile soul but there is no use and we both know it, that either way were both doomed. And that`s when I break. That's when I can no longer halt the tears that stream down my face and the sorrow that infects me at that moment. So I barely choke out.

"I don't want your help... don't you understand!? I have to do this, and I have to kill you or... He`s going to kill me!"

A few moments later as if the past five seconds have pasted in a blurry haze Severus Snape- my godfather- was stood in front of me, facing Dumbledore. The look of pain in his eyes was unbearable as he stepped forward and the two wizard`s lock gazes.

"Severus... please." He was begging. Albus Dumbledore was begging for his own life and I only felt the strongest scene of dread because we all knew what was coming...

Snape took a deep breath and spoke those unforgivable words.

"Avadakadavra!"

For a moment Albus Dumbledore seemed suspended in mid-air as if he was flying and then would somehow drift back to earth. I was proven wrong when the sound of a cold body hitting the solid ground could be heard in the distance...

I was jolted out of my past and smashed back into the present when I heard Grangers screams stop. The pain instantly subsided apart from a dull ache in my heart that still barely burned. But my mind and insides were screaming: _someone_ _just get me out of here... please._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5... The Manor Part 2

"How can you see into my eyes when _I've become so cold..._"- Evanescence, Bring me to life...

_Hermione`s POV..._

The fire was excruciating, like my blood was a light, like the deadliest of poisons were flowing freely through me veins. But I must not let them see me weak, if they think that I'm weak then it will get a hundred times worse. After what seems like days it slowly subsides until it is a feeble ache in my bones and yet I still find myself unable to move of off the hard, cold, marble drawing room floor. I can barely crane my neck up to see my surroundings. And when I do a pair of cold blue- grey eyes pierces through mine.

And for the first time in twelve months I saw him.

Draco Malfoy just stood there but for once he wasn't smirking he just looked like he was living in a world of constant torture and it was killing him. His already pale skin was even fairer and had an unhealthy grey tint to it. Dark shadows formed a path under his eyes but that was what was worse... his eyes. They were just empty, lifeless...

Bellatrix grasps Malfoy's shoulder and all but drags him to kneel in front of me.

"Draco, we suspect this may be Potter's oh so dear little MudBlood companion, so we must be sure because if we call The Dark Lord and if it`s not then were all _dead...do you understand what I'm saying?" _

Malfoy swallows nods and then peers closely at my face. What is he doing?! He know that it`s me so why does he not say so?! I`m positive he can hear the pounding of my heart and he knows that I'm terrified. I don't dare look into that face that I've loathed with a passion for most of my life but I can't keep it up for long so when I do I recognise something that I've seen before I do not like one bit: an idea. And something in his eyes telling me to keep my mouth shut...

"Well is it _her Draco?!_ The MudBlood! Is it her?!" The hope in her voice is awful. I can see him hesitating and then.

"I-I can't be sure" He whisper's.

_Wait what!? What is he doing?_

"Fine, just take her down to the cellar then!" Bellatrix snap`s.

He sighs, stands behind me and grips both of my forearms tightly.

"Just move and I won't kill you." He growls.

I steadily get to my feet, when I hear the sound of very inpatient huffing behind me I take a sense of pride that I am now annoying him. When he finally drags me into the cellar (after ten minutes of walking as slow as possible just to get to him more) he slams the door behind him, spins on his heel, stands there and glares at me for twenty minutes straight.

Suddenly I am flying backwards and find myself pressed up against the wall arms above my head, wrists digging against into the cold stone and a pale face full of anger inches from mine.

"Listen MudBlood!" He spits.

"I have my orders, Granger! We both know you're going to die in this hole, anyway, so here`s what I'll do, I'm going to try to keep you alive for as long as humanly possible, why? Because I`m a nice person... But in order to do that I need you to co-operate with me if you don't then were both dead"

He lets of go my wrists and walks to the other side of the cramped, murky room. He then stands with his back to me. As far as I can see he`s visibly shaking. From anger or anguish I'm not sure. When he speaks his voice is so full of pain.

"I-I'm just- I can't" He whimppers.

He takes in a shaking breath...

"I just can't watch anyone else die- not even _you_"

I stand there shocked at his words but wait...

"You- you're actually going to help me?" I question.

_But he can't they- Voldemort and his own father- they'll kill him._

And as if he's reading my thoughts.

"I know they will, but" He turn`s round then and brown lock on to grey.

"I have nothing left to loose... Because we both know there's no chance of us making it out alive if we don't- I can't believe I'm saying this to _you-"_

I have to strongly fight the will to roll my eyes then.

"Just _say it _Malfoy"

"_Just listen for one moment, then you can rant and hit me- yet again like you oh so kindly did back when we were thirteen, in third year!" _He snap`s and that's when I give him my undivided attention.

"Fine then, what is it?" I speak softer this time because I don't want to get him madder then he already is, we may both be the same age- separated only by a few months- but I know- _although I hate to admit it- _that he's a lot stronger than me and I didn`t want a vulnerable seventeen year old boy attacking me out of fear.

Suddenly he spins around shock evident in his eyes and he looks like he just been hit across the face- _the face he made when I myself punched him- _it would have been quite funny if he did not look so offended.

"W-what- how can you _say _something lik" He starts to say but I cut him off.

"But I didn`t say _anything, at all..."_

Ok, now I'm confused.

We stay like that for a while, stood there staring at each other, each just as confused and disturbed as the other.

I break the silence by asking what I have wanted to know since I was first dragged in here.

"Why didn't you tell Bellatrix it was me? I mean you could of had me out of your life _forever_ so why?! _Malfoy look at me!"_ He's turned back the other way, hands on the wall, not even looking at me.

"For Merlin's sake, Malf-" He whirls round and looks me dead in the eye.

"_I don't know! Ok, happy Granger? I don't even know why I saved you I just did alright!?"_

"_Fine, then!" _He sighs. The words that next come from his mouth I would have never expected in a million years.

"Granger, just while were in here I-I think we should, at least attempt- _and believe me I hate you as much as you hate me, there no denying that"_

He gestures to the spot where I hit him- and if you looked closely enough then you could still barely see the oldest and smallest of scars were my finger nails must of scratched him.

"To call a _temporary truce?"_

"_Wait... what?" _I whisper, I can't be sure if what I've just heard is even real. I can't even process it.

"But... we _hate each other- I mean to the point of insanity, and it's ridiculous we can't just- I mean, why? After all this time why?!"_

_It all came out in a rush that he'd probably been building up on in the space of __the last twelve months'..._

"_BECAUSE I CAN'T DO THIS ALONE ANYMORE!" He screamed; I was surprised the other death eaters upstairs didn't hear him. Tears were streaming down his face now and I as well was barely chocking them back. There were several moments of a very awkward silence. But unlike Harry or R- NO, don`t even think about them, for you know they could be dead... _

But unlike _them... _I could understand why, he's scared, no terrified of being thought of as weak- his father probably drilled into him the illusion that to show compassion, emotion or even to _love _another person in whatever way at all was being _weak. _So- _in an act of great personal sacrifice_- I slowly extend my hand and hold it out in front of me. I wait a few moments and he doesn't look up.

"Malfoy? Look at me, please" I ask softly, only because I know how it feels to be in that awful state of mind. Of feeling like there's no hope left on this earth that it will never get better... but it will.

He slowly looks up and his eyes widen slightly, swallows and his hand slowly but surely goes up to grip mine like a life line. Unexpected warmth shoots up my arm like fire... We stay like that for a while and it's unnerving, I mean were practically _holding hands and yet... it just seems- never mind._ I snap out of it however when he speaks it's barely above a whisper.

"You know Granger, for a griffin-dork you're not as annoying as I thought you'd be..." He mummers, softly.

Did he just _complement me?! The world's gone mad... And yet I still can`t help returning the favor._

"You too Malfoy, you're not so bad either... for a ferret..."

I can _feel_ him smirking.

We were still holding hands, and neither of us wanted to let go yet.

"So, I had a... idea..." He suggests.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6... The plan...

"And run from them, from them, with no direction, _we'll run form them, from then with no conviction_"- Paramore- Misguided ghosts

_Draco's POV..._

After I'd left Granger to her own devises I set of to bed to convince the rest of the household that that was where I was going to stay. How wrong they were... I took a rather large box down from the shelf directly above my bed that was labeled "Emergency MudBlood stuff".

I cringed at the word "MudBlood" I wasn't like that anymore, the only reason I called Granger it before was because I was angry with her, so I checked just to be sure that my father was not standing behind me- that man had eyes and ears everywhere...- pointed my wand at the label, closed my eyes opened them a second later. It now read "Emergency Muggle stuff" I smiled this was my way out of here and the road to a new Draco.

I stuffed all the other needed appliances such as clothes and potions in my rucksack and shuffled it under my bed and checked the time. It was seven o`clock so time to get to going... I closed my eyes once more and soft warmth spread through my body. Then everything went black before I was swallowed whole by darkness and pain...

_Hermione's POV..._

It was cold there. In that room. But the draft from the upper floor's barely touched my skin as I remembered my unusual conversation with Malfoy earlier just before he left the cellar earlier the same day...

"_So I had an idea..." He hesitates slightly as if wondering whether or not to trust me with something important or whether to trust me at all. I am about to question him when he says out of no where..._

"_Granger what if I told you that I need you to trust me just for tonight because both of are life`s depend on it? Would you do it? W-what I'm trying to say is... Please. Trust me..." He realises my hand slowly._

_Wait... wait, did he- Draco Malfoy- just say please_ _and for me to __trust him__?! As much as I __really__ don't want to... __we both have no choice anymore..._

_I take a deep breath._

"_I trust you..."_

_He looks over his shoulder, and then looks me dead in the eye's._

"_Ok, so here's the plan..."_

_What he tells me shock's me more than if Voldemort himself came crashing through door and tried to kill us both. (But if that happened then my views would most likely change)_

_But... how can he? Where did he? Just how?! His voice jolts me out of my frantic mind which is racing faster than ever. He just sounds so infuriatingly... __smug!_

"_You know Granger" He yawns "I can practically __hear__ your brain on over drive right now. I mean, if you want to know how I accomplished such a great feat that you could __never __even think of the please, by all mean's just __ask!__"_

_Just count backwards from ten so you don't hit the smirk of his face... again..._

_Ten..._

_Nine..._

_Eight..._

"_Come on Granger, don't you want to know what the secret to __my__- and can I just clarify __not your success**-**__ of how I did it? No? Fine, then! Suit yourself!"_

_Seven..._

_Six..._

_Five..._

"_Are you even __listening __to me?!__Grange__**r**__? Granger?! Be like that! I don't care! I'll just stand here and go on and on talking to myself about how I got one more O.W.L than __you! __Yes, that's right people I got beat __her**-**__Hermione Granger, the so called `brightest witch of our age` in the single most important exam __ever! Well! Guess who`s the brightest witch now!? ME!"_

_His face drops slightly as he realises what he just said..._

"_Did I really just say __witch...?"_

_Four..._

_Three..._

_Two..._

_O-_

"_Just so you know. I am and always will be better than yo-"_

_**SMACK!**_

_He reels backwards, almost topples over a chair and has to throw his arms out to catch himself. He's just stood there, arms flying all over the place in an effort to steady himself. The look on his face is priceless. Blood is now dripping from his cheek and on to the floor at an alarming rate._

"_Ok, I'm going to forget this little incident. For now. Just don`t try anything like that ever again or I swear down on my grand- father's grave you'll live regret it!" He sneers. I know it`s meant to be a threat but I can`t take him seriously when he`s practically bleeding to death on his own floor._

_So instead of cowering like he wants' me to I decide to try and beat him at his own game. I simply simile sweetly and say:_

"_Ok, then anything else? Or are you just going to leave now?"_

_He starts to walk towards the door when he turns' round and whisper's:_

"_Remember be ready for when I come later, or else!" He sneers and I smirk._

Suddenly the door's to the cellar shudder and twist outwards as if there was a magnet that was repelling the bars against the other and a second later a thin but stocky and pure white wolf quietly sleeks in. It sniffs the air and it`s eyes lock on mine. In the dim moonlight a pair of beautiful grey-blue eye's find mine. I just stand there utterly transfixed by this creature. I mean I knew it was, but I just never expected it to be... And to be so... It then cocks his head to the side as it notices me staring at it. And I swear I can see a _smirk_ curve at the start of its muzzle. I shake my head and snap out of it. So to make up for that I saunter past it.

"You know I half expected you to be a ferret or at least a cockroach..." I whisper innocently.

I smirk as I hear rather annoyed growling following me up the cellar stairs. I regret it though when I have to bite back a wince as a white tail bats against my leg, hard.

But I'm not done there...

"Touché... aren't you ferret?" I mutter coyly.

More annoyed growling...

"Oh, sorry I can`t hear you, I don't speak foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach..." I smile to myself when I don`t get an answer.

I stop and look round when I can`t see it anymore. Where is it-

I try to scream but can`t when one hand wraps around my mouth and the other pin's my hands behind my back I'm about to fight back when...

"Ssh... Granger for God`s sake! It's me! Malfoy! Just- quit squirming women and listen! I'm going to lead you like this through the manner and _no I'm not going to hurt you... I just need an excuse encase my deranged aunt comes down and try's to kill us both, so I can just say that I'm "taking you for a walk and we'll be back soon" but we won't be, got it?" _

His breath smells like a wet dog's mouth. I`ll be sure to remind him of that later and yet under that I can't help inhale the faint smell of peppermint toothpaste... _Don't faint, don't faint or you'll never be able to live it down..._

He slowly removes his hand from around my mouth; take's out his wand and mutters.

"_Incarcerous"_

I don't struggle as small but firm rope's bind my writs together. As he secures them together- surprisingly genteelly- and rush of warmth shoots up my arms like fire and I flinch.

"After you then" He whisper's and I shiver though not from the cold. He then gestures towards the door. Once we get through we are in a rather long corridor. In the dark I can barely make out paintings all with white blond hair, all exceedingly pale and all with cold blue eyes. Even though I know there either dead or somewhere else in the world one can only handle one Malfoy at a time looking at you like your nothing.

"By the way that punch earlier... it didn't even hurt" He mutter's.

I fight back a laugh and roll my eyes.

"Of course it didn't, Malfoy. Of course..." I answer.

I can't help but actually smile for the first time in weeks.

"Oh, were almost here" He says.

We have stopped outside a door, he let's go of my wrist and gestures for me to stay here. I nod silently and he walks in.

I wait for what seems like hours at a time. Just when I`m on the verge of leaving him there he just swaggers out like he wasn`t even gone for one second.

"Where did you go...? _Narnia by any chance!?" _I hiss.

"What's a Narlia?" He asks.

"Never mind..." I sigh.

"Granger, what the heck is a..." He demand`s.

"Look it really doesn't matter now can we just go bef" I start but I can barely finish my sentence however when we hear a crashing sound from upstairs. Bellatrix. He looks at me panic stricken. He steps closer and points his wand at my face...

"Please, trust me..." In that moment he looks so sincere... that I can`t help but whisper.

"Yes"

"Oh... and err... apologies in advance..." He mutters.

I can barely register what next happens when he whisper`s.

"_Furnunculus"_

It's then that I really worry. The things on my face that I cannot identify are horrid. It's like trying to see through a mask. I try to get words out but it's no use and I only sound like a wounded animal. Plus what infuriates me even more is I can swear I can hear Malfoy _sneering_... wait, yes he obviously did it on purpose so I couldn't talk...

_Little idiotic, moron, ferret, cockroach..._ I think.

His smirk just gets even bigger as far as I can see through my tunnel vision and in the back of my mind I could hear him thinking...

_`Now that that's shut her up...`_

The distant footsteps got ever closer...

My heart is beating fast now and I can't contain my terror. Malfoy can sense it to and to my surprise gentler than I accepted takes hold of my writs once more and lead's me backwards towards the other end of the corridor. All the while muttering things like.

"Need to be quiet... cannot be seen... this girls more trouble than she's worth" or "Granger, you'll be the death of me I swear it..."

I hear a door open faintly and through my already battered, vice shut eyes my vision gets even darker behind my eye lids. A second later something warm is pressed up against me and the smell of freshly mown grass infects me.

"Now listen Granger. Were in a broom cupboard and _no_ _don`t panic, squirm or squeal _because we won't be in here for long and don't look so frightened or worried. _I won`t hurt you. _But it`s a completely different story with my aunt Bellatrix`. So... what can we talk about to pass the time? Or if you don't want to talk then? What? What wro..." He trails of and really looks at me. _Or at least tries to because the cupboard is so small that its only purpose is to hold one person at a time! _So- trying my best not to _hyperventilate_- and failing miserably I crane my neck up which is hard to do considering that it's pushed against his chest. Also- which just makes this even more humiliating- he`s practically pinning me up against the wall, because his arms are at either side of my head and his face is buried in my hair.

And the only sound I can hear is my own breathing trying desperately to slow its self down. And just when I think it can't get any worse...

"You know Granger I think we're going to be stuck here for a while..."

Three Hours Later...

I yelp as a hand yanks on my hair and I jerk awake. I feel numb, and cold. Yet as soon as I look at him a kind of... warmth fills me.

"Granger, wake up!" He whispers.

_Draco's POV..._

"This way" I whisper. She nods and follows me out and, as silently as possible we walk across the drawing room. I can see her determinately trying not to look at the please where she was tortured earlier. I can see the tears well up in her eyes and clear my throat rather loudly. _I can't handle crying girls, no male can... it's virtually impossible. _She doesn't move when I nudge her to go to the apparatetion point... She still won't...

She sinks to her knees. Her agony is apparent and I know who she need's right now. Potter and Weasly... It`s them. It will _always_ be them. So I do the only think I can. I kneel down in front of her (since all the boil`s are now gone and her face is back to normal), and bring my hand to her face and gently wipe away her tears with my thumb. She looks up startled at first; as if she's forgotten I'm even here. Then she smiles ever so slightly, stands up and faces me.

"Thank you..." She whisper`s and I can't help but just stare at her.

It's then when she clears her throat loudly, gently take's my wrist and the last thing I hear before the sensation of being sucked through a rubber tube over whelms me is my aunt Bellatrix's distant howls of outrage and a knife missing us by mere seconds...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7... Camping issues with a Malfoy...

"I`m coming home to breathe again, _to start again..._"- Shannon LaBrie- Calls me home...

_Hermione's POV..._

The first thing I was aware of was the cool earth between my fingers. The second thing was: Malfoy. Complying rather loudly about anything and everything...

_Wait what was he doing now? Did I just hear water and rocks?_

I lift my head up a fraction and sun light all but blinds me. Shielding my eyes I stand up and recognise where we are immediately. We are both stood in a rather familiar forest clearing, a lake silently shimmers in the sunlight to my right and is almost hidden by a cluster of trees. The memories hurt... So I try to focus on the second- _thing- _I noticed.

"Malfoy, what on God's earth are you doing?! You're destroying a perfectly beautiful environment! Pull you're self together for Godric's sake!"

I don`t get an answer because he`s still pelting pebbles into the lake. _Well, _I think, _he doesn`t take the outdoor`s well... Poor ferret..._

"_Malfoy!" _Still no answer...

When I finally walk close enough he's stopped abusing random wildlife and is now crouched down against a tree head bowed as if he doesn't want to show his face.

"Oh... so you're awake then? Good" He states. _Wait. _I think._ What does he mean by awake?!_

"What are you talking about? And what do you mean by _awake?!_" I demand.

He rolls his eyes, stands and that's when I really get a look at him since we escaped. He has a split lip, bruising along his jaw and a black eye. His hair is also slightly messy from running and sleeping on the floor for a night. And he doesn't seem too bothered by the blood that's trickling down his chin as a result of his lip and it is pure crimson against the paleness of his skin.

I gasp.

"What happened to you wh- what- did someone do that to you!?" I stammer. I can`t believe it.

"Aw concerned about my safety now Granger, why I`m so touched?!"He sneer`s sarcastically, picks up another rock, lobes it at a tree and yelp`s when it bounces back and misses him inches. I just stand there and witness him have a nervous breakdown. After several more minutes of throwing and shouting he seems to have got it all out of his system.

_For now, _I think.

"Malfoy just come here, _please!"_

He sighs and walks over to me slowly still keeping his head down.

"Honestly, I've seen Harry in way worse states than you, look at me"

He does and he just looks miserable. I hold my wand up to his face.

"Just, just stay still for a moment, It's going to hurt a little but just bare with me..."

"_Episkey"_

He winces and cringes as I heal all his cut`s but he doesn`t look as bad now. The bruises were so bad that they are still not completely healed; they just look a few days old. (He must have been hit a lot) But at least his mouth is back to normal. His eye is no longer severely inflamed but has yellow and blue bruising below just it and his cheek is ever so slightly swollen. Apart from that there is just the odd bit of dried blood here and there.

"Thank you. Can- why are you doing this? Even bothering to help me if I put you through hell for seven years straight? Granger, why?" He stands back just staring down at me. And he looks hopeless.

So I tell him the truth.

"I-I don`t know why... It`s just. I saw your face in at the manner and H-Harry he was wrong." I look him in the eye`s then.

"You're not a bad person, Malfoy. You're just..."

"Brilliant? Amazing? Se" I cut him of there.

_"You"_ I smile slightly and wonder of to start the protective enchantments around the site and I leave him there looking dumbfounded...


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8... Comfort, Kisses, Confusion and New Friend's...

"_I need you_, and _I_ _can't stand you_, _Must everything you do make me want to smile?"- _Rihanna ft Ne-Yo- Hate that I love you...

_Hermione`s POV..._

Several hours later and we are slouched against a tree. The full moon fill`s the peaceful night sky and a roaring camp fire sits in front of us. It must be at least below zero degrees and were practically freezing to death. The only sound I can hear is my own teeth chattering and the wind smashing us both, the fire obviously wasn't enough. Malfoy hasn't said one word to me since our conversation earlier and it's irritating me, a lot. It's not that I wanted him to insult me again it's just if Harry and Ron were here then... _No just don't even dare think about them there dead and you know it. You just have to carry on, and try to make them live on through memories and sprit... _Then I just let the tears fall from my eyes and freely down my face and hope that Malfoy will not notice...

"Granger, are you crying? Why? What`s wrong now?" He asks.

Is it me or does he sound just a little bit, concerned? I swallow.

"What? Oh, err... nothing, nothings wrong..." I lie.

He just roll`s his eyes`.

"Honestly Granger; I`m not stupid. You're clearly upset about something so what is it?" He`s determined, I`ll give him that...

"Fine, I give up. It`s just that, Harry and Ron they... I was planning of coming here with them an-and that there..." I can't even say it.

"There what? Look Granger I know we haven`t got on- actually that`s an understatement, we _hate _each other- b-but- I- What I`m trying to say is, you _can _talk to me. Look at me Granger, _please" _He says softly.

He turns to face me then and his eyes bore into mine.

"_There de-dead..." _I can barely get the words out.

He bows his head and does not say a word for a full moment.

"W-what are you doing?" I ask.

"I`m... saying goodbye to P" He takes a deep breath.

"To... Harry and Ronald" I just sit there shell shocked. _Never in the seven years that we've been in each other's classes has he ever called any of us by our first names._

"Err, earth to Gra- Hermione? Are you still there? Anyone ho"

I`m not sure exactly what possesses me at that moment. Perhaps It`s the fact that my boy's –_my brothers -_ are... _gone_ and I feel like there is no one left in the world to love me like a brother should or maybe with Ron like... _more._ Barely thinking about what I'm doing and in an act of a desperate need for some sort of comfort. I fling my arms round his neck and nearly knock him flat with a crushing hug. I can feel him stiffen slightly at first but smile ever so slightly when his frame relaxes and he hesitantly squeezes back. I burry my face in his shoulder and forgetting my dignity and who I'm with breakdown and allow myself that small bit of vulnerability and comfort that I have been denying myself for so long now. Surprisingly he barely even begins to let go until my heart wrenching sobs` slowly but surely subside in to quite tears that slowly trickle down my face. My breathing has now calmed down now so I pull back and he relaxes his grip on my back. It's not until now that I realise how I've been half sat on the floor and half sat on said Malfoy.

_Oh, god. _I think. _He is __**never **__going to let me live this down. I can just hear his mind reeling with all the morbid jokes a seventeen year old boy can possibly think of... _I shudder slightly at that thought. But to my astonishment he just pulls back and stares at me with eyes filled with sorrow.

"Ssh, it's ok. I know how you feel. M-my" He starts to say something but chokes on his words and my heart aches at the sight of tears streaming down his face. I can't take it anymore so I return the favour at the manor and gently bring my thumb up to his face and (being careful to avoid the bruises) gently wipe his tears away. I'm sure I can hear his breath hitch in his throat ever so slightly.

"Thank you, Granger" He whispers, just so I can hear him. I smile ever so slightly.

"Anytime Malfoy" I whisper back. He takes in a ragged breath, stand's and trudges over to a nearby log with his shoulders hung, even from over hear I can hear him whimpering.

_Wait, _I think, _is he ok?_

I stand to follow him and watch as he sits down and hang`s his head. I sigh and silently walk over and sit down next to him. We are quite for a while until he clears his throat.

"I-I never did answer your question earlier you know." He says voice still ragged from crying. I look sideways at him with an un-voiced question on my tongue which he answers.

"About what happened after we escaped from the manner" I nod for him to continue.

"Well when we disapparted to here then the death eaters tracked us almost immediately and you fell unconscious on impact with the ground. I had to carry you hear whist trying to evade them which as you saw the state of my face clearly did not go down well as planned." He pointed at the bruising bellow his eye and frowned.

"So..." He question`s.

"What do we do now? I mean we have no shelter, no food and nowhere to go."

"I don`t know" I answer honestly.

I start to shiver once more as another gust of wind smashes us. I stop however when I feel warmth enclose me and look over my shoulder to see a jacket being draped over me.

"Thank you" I whisper.

I hesitate a bit but gently lean my head against his shoulder and a few moments later I feel something on my head and I don't need to look up to know what it is. His cheek is resting against the top of my head and a second later I can hear and feel his gentle breath washing over my face and once again peppermint infects me with a hint of grass which is freshly mown. And it is those beautiful scents and the soft lull of his breathing that sleep finally consumes me...

I can feel the baking sun on my face and my eyes slowly flutter open and immediately I become aware of the situation I'm in. I try to turn over but can't, because there is something- _or someone- _in the way. I try to move my head but can't because it is nuzzled into the crook of his neck and shoulder. He glances to his right. We must have moved around a lot because we were practically intertwined. I feel the blood rush to my face, glance downwards, swallow and am determined to not look at him because if I do then I will obviously hit him, again...

Our sides are pressed together and somehow his arm is wrapped around my stomach and the back of his hand is pinned by my back to the log. Our legs are resting on the others. I try to move my back into a sitting position but the pale arm around my waist tightens and gently drags me back down. _No way. _I think. _No way am I lying here like this next to him. _But before I can make to move again his grip tightens once more and he flip's me over so that I am now straddling his waist. I have to throw my arms out to stop me from falling on top of him, but I would rather that then what were like now. I start to hyperventilate. Both of my arms are at either side of his head and my breath's are coming in short gasps. He props himself up on his elbow so that I now have to look up at him. But once my eyes find his I find myself strangely captivated and unable to look away. The harsh grey steel that was once there has now been replaced by the illusion of melting ice. The sunlight falls onto his face and his pale skin now has a memorising silver glow to it. His gaze now is beyond intense now but I still find myself transfixed by him.

"D-Drac" I start to speak but am cut short by lips softly caressing mine. My breath hitches in my throat...

I bolted upright shaking slightly. I looked around to check that I was alone like I had hoped, I wasn't. I felt movement beside me and looked to my left to see Malfoy sitting bolt upright as well shaking just as I was. All of a sudden his head wiped round and his eyes found mine. His mouth dropped open slightly and if I was being completely honest. He looked a mess. His hair was tousled and his eyes were wide- like a rabbit caught in head lights.

"G-Granger" He stammered.

We just kept staring at each other for what seemed like forever, when a twig snapping in the distance brought us out of our stupor. I looked over to find a rabbit scourging amongst the forest floor in its search for food, which only meant one thing, dawn would soon break over us. I heard a shaky sigh of relief next to me and turned to my left to find Malfoy up on his feet striding over to the lake, rubbing his face.

"Good morning to you two, Malfoy!" I muttered; voice lased with sarcasm but still unable to keep the tremble out of it. He must have an acute sense of hearing because he shouted through the trees.

"Leave me alone Granger!" As far as I could tell he was just as shook up as I was about something but it didn't keep the malice out of his voice

I swallowed, mind still reeling from the intimate dream. _It was just a dream _I consoled myself _he hate's you; you hate him, everyone's happy! _Except I wasn't happy. Not as long as I was stuck here with _him_in the middle of the forest of dean with no possible way out. _I was trapped_ I admitted to myself in my mind _and this time with no way of getting out..._

_Draco's POV..._

_WHAT WAS THAT! _I think furiously. _S-she- did- KISSED ME! _I start to pace relentlessly back and forth in front of the lake, mind still reeling from such an _intimate_ dr- NO NOT DREAM... MORE LIKE NIGHTMARE! And yet I can _still _almost _feel _her there... _kissing me..._I kneel down next to the stream and drench my face in the cool water... wait, _water! _ I jump up and sprint back towards Granger at full speed.

"Granger! Granger!" I shout, panting as my lungs demand air. Where is she?

"Over here Malfoy! Look what I've found, I must have had it all along, I just never realised!" She points to the rather small looking object that rests well hidden by a group of tall trees. It looks rather small but by just by looking at it I can tell that it is one of the tents used at the quidditch world cup. I just stare at it, unable to contain my horror. _What!? _I think _how she possibly can expect me to stay in __that __I will __never know!_

I just narrow my eyes at her, arms folded; clearly _not _amused in the slightest by this _awful _joke she _must _be playing on me...

"Err, Granger... You can't be serious? Right?" I sneer at her. She then has the nerve to roll her eyes at me as if _I _was the one being childish and _not her!_

"Honestly Malfoy, what would you rather sleep on, hmm? A log! _Or a nice warm and at least half descent bed!?"_

I narrow my eye`s even further into a venomous glare. And sit down as an act of defiance. Now while some people may call this _childish _I call it _standing up for myself against the likes of __her! _She continues to stand there, jaw dropped and shooting the daggers in which Potter and the weasel had coward under for seven years straight. _Well _I think _not anymore! She needs to be put in her place! I almost felt sorry for the two poor idiots having to cope all this time with her, I honestly will __never __understand how they did it, ever._But then to my horror my mind sub- consciously drifts back to that _dream..._

In the distance I can hear her calling my name, and turn my head to see her standing just a few feet away... _close enough to... NO DON'T, YOUR BEING ABSURD! PULL YOU'RE SELF TOGETHER, MAN!_

"_Malfoy!? Are you even listening to me?Hello! Earth to Dra-Ma"_ She freezes, clearly aware of her mistake

Too late, because my immediately head snaps up.

_Did she almost call me Draco? _I think shocked.

My eyes widen slightly and I stand up. Granger stares at me her expression completely un-readable, in the dawn that is now breaking over the distant horizon. Then slowly but surely she close's the gap between us, leans her head on my shoulder and sighs. I feel my body tense at the contact, memories of the dream bombarding me in that one moment. I feel something slot into my hand and look down, startled to see her, own hand resting there.

"What are we doing to our self's Malfoy? I'm too tired to carry on fighting with you" She speaks softly.

I close my eyes and breathe her sent in and smile slightly for the first time in months. At first I cannot identify it, but then it comes to me, honey and fresh apples. She looks me in the eyes then and once again- just like the dream- I am captivated by her.

"Look Ma" She pauses, as if deciding whether to say something she probably shouldn't. She takes a deep breath. She looks down at the floor but it is not enough to hide the red that rushes into in her cheeks as soon as she starts to speak.

"D-Draco, I-I think that since we're going to be isolated from- what I`m guessing- anyone else for a long time, then we should- _at least attempt- _to get along" She trails of and then starts to act as if her shoes are the most interesting thing in the world. The question hangs in the air then and I'm sure I can hear her brain reeling my response.

"I-I mean I don't mean as to `kiss and make up" She chuckles nervously and cringes at her choice of words as her face gets even redder. _Well _I think as a pink tinge appears in my own cheeks _this is awkward..._

"So should we just start again? What we probably _should _of done seven years ago?" She asks timidly

I take a deep breath and attempt to mentally calm my pulse which at the moment is like me doing the fifty laps of the quidditch grounds at Hogwarts in my blood stream. I clear my throat, nervously and answerer.

"C-certainly, Hermione" She looks up at me then and her face becomes alight with almost uncontrollable glee. She moves to hug me and almost manages it to, but I step back, not really trusting myself. What with the state that _dream _has now left me in? _Yes_, I _really_ don't trust myself... So I just smile at her and hold out my hand and say as normally as any person can say.

"Hello, my names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" To my delight she does the same.

"Hello, my names Granger, Hermione Granger" She grips my hand tightly, as if she has no intention of ever letting go, and honestly I really hope she doesn`t anytime soon. We just stand there beaming at each other like idiots, until none of us can take it much longer and we both break out into incontrollable peals of laughter. Once we have eventually calmed down, she leads me to the tent where we just spend the rest of the day laughing and just being with each other. After the sun has once again set over the horizon, Hermione is fast asleep. Her head is on my shoulder, her arm is around my waist and my own face is somehow buried in her hair, which once again smells like honey and apples. I brush the curls from her face, and she sigh's a smile flickering on her mouth.

"Good night Hermione... sweet dreams" I whisper.

I smile to myself as the last thought before I drift off into my first dreamless sleep in over twelve months is _I don't know why but I'm not going to let go of you for a long time..._

A livid Lucius Malfoy crashed through the front doors of the seemingly deserted Malfoy Manner shouting orders at terrified house elves as he went, but only wanting to speak to one woman in particular.

"BELLATRIX! WHERE IS MY SON!?" He thundered to the empty halls of the manner. He stormed into the upstairs dining room to find said Bellatrix and his wife, Narcissa Malfoy talking in hushed whispers. They still were un-aware of his presence. He waited several long moments but and his wife and sister in law still did not look up. He had had enough... Lucius slammed his hand down on the immaculate table so hard that the smallest of cracks appeared in the stainless glass.

"_I said_ _where is my SON!_" His voice started deadly quite and then turned murderous. He spun round on his heel and pointed his finger at Bellatrix who had gone even paler than usual. Narcissa spoke up then.

"L-Lucius, s-sit down dea" She started but Lucius was too out-raged to listen.

"NO!" He roared

"I WILL NOT `SIT DOWN` NARCISSA! DO YOU REASILE WHAT _HE _HAS DONE?! WELL DO YOU!? OUR ONLY SON- NO _THAT BOY!" _Narcissa was unable to chock back a sob at her husband's rage towards thier only son.

"HE HAS BETRADED US, NARCISSA! DON'T YOU SEE? THE DARK LORD... WHY HE'S GOING TO KILL ALL OF US FOR THIS AND IT WILL ALL BE _HIS _FAULT! HIS FAULT FOR RUNNING OF WITH THAT _FILTHY MUDBLOOD!" _By the time Lucius had finished his speech there was only mortified silence the manner. Even the house elf's could hear his from all the way down in the their kitchen- to which they prepared food for the Malfoy's- which was all the way down in the second basement just below the cellar that only they could access.

"Lucius, please... calm down, Draco we can find hi" Narcissa tried to calm her husband but it was no use. Because she could not be prepared for what came out of Lucius mouth next...

"THAT _BLOOD-TRAITER _IS _NOT _MY _SON!" He screamed._

Narcissa stood up then. Her thin frame shaking with suppressed anger.

"_HOW DARE YOU! DRACO IS OUR SON! SURELY THE MUDBLOOD HAS JUST POISONED HIS MIND?! IF WE BRING HIM HEAR BACK ALIVE THEN WE CAN ANSWERS? PLEASE LUCIUS HE IS YOUR SON!"_

Lucius stared at his wife. She was not bothering to hide the desperation in her eyes to see her son alive again. He considered his options carefully. He took a deep breath and turned to Bellatrix, with a grave expression on his aged face.

"Bellatrix, if you will can you find my son? And bring him back hear _alive?" _He asked. His sister in-law looked slightly hopeful, because she then asked.

"But Lucius? What of the _Granger girl? Surely the Dark Lord will want her alive? She may know where the Potter boy is hiding! _Or if you want me to I could _deal with her myself?_"

Lucius turned to Bellatrix once more with a face full of purpose, he chuckled darkly.

"What you do with the MudBlood is your choice Bella`. _Just_ _make her suffer!" _Lucius snarled. He sighed and inhaled deeply.

"I almost feel sorry for him. Poor little boy" He failed to notice that with every word uttered his wife went a shade greener.

"_Tut, tut, tut... _He has to learn that if you defile and besmirch your blood..." He passed round the room, clenching his hands.

"_Then you have to pay..."_

Again there was only silence met by this speech. Once the two other women had left, Narcissa to start to find the resources to track down her son, and Bellatrix to find Draco and kill Hermione. Lucius summoned Bellatrix back to the dining room and ordered the house elf's to lock the doors so no one could hear them speak.

"Lucius? What do you need of me? I'm try to find my nephew!" She snapped.

"Ahh, Bella. Just the person I have been meaning to talk to! Now on the matter of my _son..._" He sneered, the last word as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

As he gave his orders to Bellatrix neither of them were aware that Dobby- who had chose the return to help the prisoner's of the manner as soon as he heard of Draco and Hermione's escape just two days previously- was listening to their entire conversation.

" .someone..." Muttered Dobby and with a swift _crack _he was gone...


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9... Complications, Plan's and Promises...

"If you are cold at night let the _promise_ of my love cover you like a warm blanket..."- Matthew White...

_Hermione's POV..._

When my eyes fluttered open I realised one thing straight away. Draco wasn't there... and I immediately panicked. I bolted upright and whipped my head around. He wasn't in the tent... I suddenly jumped right out of my skin when I heard a crash from outside and muffled swearing.

_Yes, that was him but what was he doing?_

"Hermione help me!" Draco shouted through the trees. I quickly ran outside to see what was happening. As I reached him on the edge of the lake I stood, bewildered at what I was witnessing. I had to blink several time's to make sure that I was not being delusional. But there he was as clear as day, _Dobby_... _hitting Draco repeatedly with a stick._ And the only word's I could catch were through the muffled noises that sounded like...

"_Look! I didn't mean it! Dobby! NOT THE FACE!" Yes, that was definitely Draco..._

I ran forwards to try and pry the crazed, determined and blood-lusting elf of off him. _Before_ he went too far and ended up `_accidentally_` _killing him! _But before I could even get near Dobby's failing arms he suddenly rebounded back and hit a tree. I gasped and ran towards him to make sure he could still breathe.

When I got to Dobby, I helped him up by his stick like arms and got him to his feet. He looked up at me, tennis ball eyes going wide as his vision focuses on us and they well up with tears. The next thing I know his arms are wrapped around my legs and he's sobbing hysterically into my jeans.

"D-Dob-by is so-o s-s-sor-ry, Mis-ss G-Granger-r, bu-t-t D-Dobb-y-y coul-d-d not-t-t" He tries to continue but breaks down. I sigh and kneel down in front of him.

"Dobby? Shh... What's wrong? It's ok. You're safe now..." I soothe him until his uncontrollable sobs subside into quite sniffs. I can sense Draco watching this all unfold and look up to see him stood there with his jaw hung open. I just roll my eyes at him and motion for him to help me take Dobby inside the tent. I hear Draco sigh, walk over and together we start to lead- _or drag- _Dobby into the tent were we set him down on one of the three bed's that will fit in there. I look at Draco not really knowing what on earth to say to Dobby but to my surprise he's already talking.

"Err... Dobby look at me please" He whispers softly. Dobby looks up. He's acting like he's ashamed of himself for some reason but to my shock Draco stands up and sits down beside the elf, gently nudges him with his elbow and smile's at him.

"You haven't changed much since I last saw you... have you?" He speaks almost playfully to Dobby as if he has known him all of his life... but then it all clicks... _It was the Malfoy's who Dobby's old masters were before Harry set him free. So of course Draco and Dobby would know each other..._I smile as I watch this unlikely scene un-fold in front of my eyes.

"No I haven't Master Malfoy. But you have... When I was attacking you I didn't recognise you from when you were twelve." Dobby muttered almost to himself.

"It must be the hair, it is not slicked back" I just grin as I can feel the heat coming of off Draco's face as he blushes at the reminder of his old hair style.

"Well err... I-I never did like it much myself but..." He trail's clearly sensing that he had said enough on the matter.

I have to cough to hide the snigger that tries to escape my lips. Draco turns his head and glares at me half-heartedly though I can tell by the way the corner of his mouth is lifting slightly that he is suppressing a smile. _More like a smirk _I think.

"So err... Dobby" I start saving Draco from further embarrassment.

"What are you doing here? Why did you come and find us?" I ask softly, not wanting him to assault either of us again.

The elf just bows his head in shame and sighs deeply.

"Ahh... Miss Granger Dobby is sorry to say this but..." He trail's of looking at Draco un-easily clearly debating whether to continue.

"I'm afraid it is not good news's that I must deliver... Dobby is very sorry indeed, so very sorry" He mutters.

"Go on" Draco urges him on softly.

Dobby sits up straighter and swings his small legs around the mattress to face Draco fully and looks him in the eye.

"Now Mister Malfoy must not be angry with Dobby but... I-It is your father he was not very happy with the two of you running of like that and... F-Forgive me Master Malfoy and Misses Granger, Dobby is merely being curious but Dobby cannot help but wonder what drove you to such drastic measures to save each other?" I swallow to wanting to discuss that _dream _with neither of them. No one speaks for at least five very long and very awkward moments. I jump when Draco clears his throat nervously sensing the tension in the air.

"I'm not heart-less Dobby... I couldn't just leave her there to die like that, no matter how much I used to hate her" He explains. I noticed as he was saying this how Dobby's head snapped up slightly when Draco said `used to hate her` and he obviously takes note of the past tense used but does not press further into the matter but out of the corner of my eye I can swear I see him smile knowingly and it just leaves me confused.

"Oh, apologies Mas" Draco cut's him of there.

"Dobby please... call me Draco. I'm not your master anymore." I nudge him slightly with my elbow.

"And call _Miss Granger_" He turns his head and smirks at me before mock bowing to me and I can't stop the almost girlish giggle that passes my lips and I roll my eyes at him.

"As I was saying call _Miss Granger"_ I roll my eyes.

"You don't need to be so formal with us, Dobby. Your our friend and were hear for you." He says kindly and my eyes widen in disbelieve.

_Who is this kind, friendly and sensitive boy and what have they done with the foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach and ferret that was Draco Malfoy?!_

I think stunned at the person who cannot possibly be the same boy that first called me a MudBlood all those years ago on the quidditch pitch at Hogwarts...

I hear a cough in the distance and look up to see both Draco and Dobby staring at me with concern on their faces. I shake my head, smile weakly at them and nod for Dobby to continue.

"So as Dobby was saying your father is not happy with you running of like that and he-e" He takes a deep breath.

"My old master wishes his own son... no, no Dobby cannot say it mas- Draco. It is just too horrible!" Dobby exclaims as he buried his face in his small hands.

Draco and I share a concerned glance and each put an arm around the elf's shoulders lightly, though as not to weigh him down to much with the combined weight of our arms but as I secure my arm around the elf's shoulder my breath hitches ever so slightly as my fingers accidentally brushes Draco's fingers. It startles me that the briefest of touches burns like fire and I can feel Draco also flinch slightly but not from disgust... no something else. As much as I try not to I glance at him just as he glances at me in that exact same moment. Once more our eyes lock and again I find myself captivated as flash back's from the dream over come me and I struggle not to faint in front of poor Dobby.

_Breath Hermione! _I try to franticly remind myself.

_Breath!_

Dobby coughs and we snap our head's round to listen to him. And there it is that smile! It's as if he knowns something we don't and it's maddening!

I sigh to myself quietly and motion for him to continue.

"As Dobby was saying. Draco your father he is not happy that you ran off like that. In fact he was furious! I have never seen him so outraged! He wants both of you dead..." When Dobby had finished talking my eyes instantly found Draco's. But to my bewilderment he had a grin on his face. For a moment I was honestly worried about his health... I mean if you had just found out your own father is out to kill you then you would be distraught, and yet he was _smiling!_

"Ahh" He chuckled.

"I _knew _my father _hated me!"_ He shouted almost with morbid _glee!?_

I just exchanged another very worried glance with Dobby.

"Err, Draco? Are you _sure _you're okay? I mean" I started to ask him but he cut me off.

"Hermione honestly when I say my father hates me I really do mean it. He _hates me!" _He exclaimed suddenly.

"I mean it's a wonder I survived the holiday's at home with him! What with everything I went through last year with that vanishing cabinet!" He shut's he mouth suddenly, thinking he has said too much. When the truth is I _know. I know what happened last year in the room of requirement and I know he nearly died of blood loss because Harry almost killed him with the `Sectumsempra` curse in the boy's bath room. _I don't understand why but I find myself choking back a sob as I picture him there... I swallow and force myself to breathe.

_Why all of a sudden do I find myself distraught at the idea of losing him?_

"So... What do we do now?" I ask Draco. He just looks confused.

"What do you mean `What do we do now? `. Well its obvious isn't it? We get out of here and run!" He finishes and then he's up on his feet throwing all of our belongings into _my_ beaded bag! I just stare at him like he's gone completely mad.

"Wait you are _joking right?! _I-I mean we can't just _leave!_" I say riled by the randomness of it all.

"Why not?" He asks.

"Well, for a start we don't have a _plan!" _I shout annoyed.

He throws the last of our clothes and food in the bag, ties the end's up and sits down on the edge of the bed and looks at me expectantly. He pats the space next to him on the mattress...

"Then let's make one..." He says simply and then he _smirk's!_

He senses my hesitation and of course being _him _he just has to make it _worse _by whispering.

"_Scared `Mione?!" _He raises his eyebrow at me as if _daring me to sit there?!_

_He just called me Mione?! _I think shocked.

Normally I would have hit Harry or Ron for calling me that nickname that they used to oh so often just to annoy me...

But when it came out of _his _mouth it just sounded almost... angelic in its innocence. Even if he was _smirking as he said it... Which if I am being honest with myself just made it all the more endearing and bordering on the verge alluring... No stop it Hermione _I thought franticly _Just stop it now before it gets worse! _

I immediately snap out of it however when he coughs. I look at him and his mouth is tilted up ever so slightly as if he is fighting yet another _smirk. _And of course he picks up on my discomfort as try to quell the rapid pounding of my heart and the frantic smashing of my pulse at the mere thought at being close. So once more I _try _to beat him at his own game...

"No of course not" _Do I dare _I think. _Yes... yes I do._

"_Draco" _I startle myself at just how _seductive _I sound. I just smile when the smirk fall's from his face and his jaw drop's ever so slightly. _Still not done._

Still smirking at him I gracefully saunter over to the bed and lay down few inches away from him. Legs crossed so close to his that I could be using his legs as a rest for mine, place my hands behind my head and whisper.

"_So about that plan..." _

To my disappointment he regains his composer straight away, clears his throat and blinks several times. All the while I'm sat right here barely choking back laughter at how flustered he is. We both jump when we hear a little cough in the corner. Dobby is stood there, hands behind his back looking like he was intruding on something rather private. The elf hung his head looking quite abashed.

"Dobby is sorry Hermione. Dobby will leave if you need some privacy" He stopped talking when both Draco and I simultaneously chocked on our own spit.

"W-What do y-you mean D-Dobby?" Asked Draco, with false evident cheeriness in his voice. That Dobby didn't seem to be picking up on.

"Well pardon Dobby for being nosy but it just looked like for a moment" He muttered.

"Like what Dobby?" I insisted. Dobby just shook his head.

"I-It does not matter now. What _does _matter is how we're going to get out of here alive" Persisted the elf. It came to me then. I turned to Draco.

"I've got it!" I beamed at him.

Several Hours Later...

"_You took my hand, added a plan" Sia- My Love..._

"Hermione y-you're sure this is going to work right?" Draco whispered to me. Dobby was already waiting outside the tent for our signal and Draco and I were hidden nearby in a cluster of bushes. I didn't answer him. I knew from the many years' spent chasing Harry and Ron relentlessly around Hogwarts and making sure they didn't get killed numerous times' that even the best laid plans go awry.

Or as Harry once so delicately put it: _`We plan, we get there and all hell breaks' lose! `_

I smiled slightly at the memory.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine. I promise" I whispered back to him. He just nodded but he still didn't seem to sure. I gently nudged his arm and held my pinkie finger out to him.

"What are you doing?" He asked and looked at me as if I'd gone mental. I just rolled my eyes and smiled.

"I-It's a Muggle thing. When you link the smallest finger of your hand then it's a promise to another that you'll do something for that person or that something will happen. So... in this case _I promise _that everything will be ok..." _and that I won't lose you not matter what and I will never let you go should I get that chance to hold you..._ My eyes grew wide when I thought that, where did that come from! I mean we- I mean were just friends! We're just starting a new and- I- I- just! I swallowed when I realised he was staring, mouth gapping open and eye's wide.

I looked up at him then to see that his gaze was beyond intense and I had a strange sense of déjà vu from the dream.

"W-what did you say?!" He whispered so quietly that I could barely hear him over the wind that kept sailing through the bushes.

_Did I just say that out load!? _I thought mortified... _No, I didn't, I know that I didn't say anything. So how can he hea- _I was snatched from my thought process when I heard the faintest whisper of...

"Ok" Brought his hand up linked his small finger with mine and a rush of fire scolded my arm. I could hardly begin to think before he encircled him arms around my waist and almost tackled me in a bone crushing but soft hug. I could feel him burying his face in my hair and gently running his fingers through it. _I haven't been hugged like this since... No I don't think even __Harry or Ron __had hug- no not hugged... held._

"_I promise, Hermione" _He whispered.

He was holding on to me so tightly that I could scarcely breathe. I managed to wriggle my hands out from where they were pinned to my sides and lock them around his neck. Since I've got him here I can ask some questions of my own.

"Err... Draco? W-what were you going to tell me that night when you were saying about... something?" I ask tentatively. I cant even remember. He pulls back slightly and stares down at me. At the moment I'm hyper aware of the fact that he's still holding my waist. He looks down and his face pale even more than usual, and his fringe falls in front of his eyes. I sigh and not really realising what I'm doing absentmindedly brush it out of his eyes and I hear his breath catch ever so slightly. He lifts his head up, looks down once more and sighs.

"I can't say. I'm sorry but the- _You-Know-Who_ is probably still watching me closely because even though I deserted even before my own father I _still _have this _mark_" He spits out the last word like it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. I hesitate slightly before I wriggle out of his embrace, and take his left arm. I start to lift his jacket up but just as I start to see the start of the snake's head near his palm the snatches my wrist and shakes his head at me.

"No, Herm" he starts but I cut him off.

"Draco, _please...trust me" _I whisper. He glances up at me and gives a slight jerk of his head, you could barely see it but it was a nod. I swallow and he steps back and shrugs his jacket of. Once the cuffs on the sleeve of his left for arm is un-done he just hold's it out, as if to say `You don't have to`. I look up at him again and he's staring at the ground, not even looking at me. The expression on his face is just heart-breaking and completely unread able.

"Admit it" He mutters as I roll his sleeve up to his elbow and revel that awful mark that lies with an almost morbid innocence on the fairness of his skin. It's cold to touch and I hear him whimper slightly when I feel heat scold my hand as my finger's glide across the surface of skull.

"You hate me don't you?" Draco whispers as I just stare at it as it moves with a serpent like grace across his pale skin. _Of course I don't hate him _I think shocked _I don't hate him! I just... I don't know anymore. I would even go as far to say that he was my friend! But what with the mess that dream has made me I- I don't know..._

It isn't until I look up that I realise that the question was not rhetorical and he wants an answer. So I tell him the truth.

"Listen I don't _hate _you. Not anymore... Well the truth is I _never _hated you it's just when you called me a" His eye snap to mine and I can see months if not _years _worth of pain and regret in them.

"It's just when you called me a-a _MudBlood" _I feel Draco's body go ridged and the _M _word.

"When we were twelve I just... _disliked you a to certain degree_" I muttered the last part, slightly embarrassed at my own in ability to put my feelings into words. To my astonishment he _laughs._

"_What may I just ask?! Is so funny!" _I snap.

"_`Disliked you to a certain degree`!" _He snorts. Eyes brimming with tears but at least he's smiling. I can't help but giggle along with him, because for some bizarre reason his laughter is simply _infectious_. After we have calmed down and our less then attractive snorts subside into quite giggles that any child would be proud of, I pose my next question.

"D-does it hurt sometimes, the mark?" I ask. He sighs, sits on the ground and gestures to the space next to him where I sit down next to him. When I do he does turn he's kneeling opposite me.

"Sometimes but i-it's to explain, when _He's _having a tantrum or just hasn't killed anyone in a while he starts to get _board! _So he can call one of us to do something for him just for His own amusement and when we strive to the point of near _starvation _and nearly end up killing our self's with the effort of trying not to _die! _Then He say's: `You are a shame to your family and your father _hate's you`_"

I have a feeling he's not just talking about random death-eaters anymore, but of one in particular.

His voice break's on the last word as tears are already falling down his face at this point, so I move from my position opposite him to sit next to him and throw my arm around his shoulder and secure them around his neck again. He burry's his head in my hair again and I just stay there for what seems like forever, because whenever we hugged it just seems like time it's self has stood still_. I know it's impossible but I hope it would. Just for now, and just for us. I can't lie to myself anymore when I say that I don't wish that these brief moments' to last for eternity. Because each time they do happen- and as often as they do- I just never seem to want to let him go..._

He pulled back slightly and swallowed. He frowned as if he was deciding something but then thought better of it and stood up to go and check were Dobby was.

"Where is he? Is he alright? What if th" I begin to ask.

"Hermione he'll be fine." He looked over his shoulder and I was pleased to see he was finally smiling again, for he was grinning at me.

"_I promise" _He muttered to me and held his little finger up as a small but significant symbol that it will be ok and I should stop worrying.

"Oh, it's Dobby! He's coming!" He whispered quickly.

Draco staggered back a few paces until he fell- _quite literally- _back into the bush beside me. (When I yanked him back by his collar...)

He just turned his head and glared at me.

_"Was that actually necessary?!"_ He exclaimed, his arms waving in the air in an effort to get his point across. I just rolled my eyes at him.

"Drama queen..." I whispered just load enough so only he could hear me and I bit back a smile when he batted my arm. The fun stopped however when we heard hushed whispers from over by the tent.

I looked over to him and he nodded. Earlier that same day he had said that I could: `Watch if I wanted to`, when I then replied: `I've seen a lot worse in just seventeen year's` he only said: `We'll see about that`. I obviously thought he was being over-dramatic about it as always and he then added: `How would you like it if you passed out and then you were burning all over for one full minute?`.

At the time I had just shook my head at him and told him to `Get outside of this tent and practice changing back and to _now _before I personally kick you're fury, ferrety butt out there myself`.

I smirked at the memory of his face dropping slightly and him muttering something that sounded alarmingly like: `If only we had a rocket ship then we could outrun them, or out _fly_` He chuckled at his own bizarre joke. But what worried me most was what he said next: `I want I rocket ship and...` He was too far away so I didn't catch the rest. I honestly don't want to know what _else_ he wanted... _God known's _I thought _but good luck to that poor something- or someone..._

But now sitting here watching him close his eye and whimper ever so slightly. His face, contorted in pain as he sloughed against the tree trunk and all I could do was watch in silent horror as he curled up in a ball and seemed to shrink into himself. I turned my head towards the gap in the bushes and was about to scream for help when it reached a point where he passed out but when I turned my head back round Draco had disappeared.

I frowned slightly as I stared down at the black (and rather expensive looking) armani suite that he wore and practically lived in last year and was wearing a moment ago, but to my shock all that was left of him was the conspicuous lump that was underneath the pile of his clothes. I eyed the suit warily and a sense of foreboding seeped into me as I cautiously moved forward to take it off the ground. Just as my fingertip's brushed the dark fabric the lump _twitched _slightly! I jerked my hand back with a gasp. Was it awake? I continued to stare at the immobile piece of clothing on the ground when all of a sudden it seemed to fly up in the air and then land back on the seemingly empty space, except it wasn't empty.

No, because were Draco once stood there was now sat a white wolf, with the same grey-blue eyes as a certain insufferable slytherin... It looked slightly thinner than when we escaped. Though that was probably because we had not eaten in a few days. I didn't get a good look at him like this last time when we were escaping but now up close- _In this form at least_- he was really quite beautiful while he wa-

"Dobby is a free elf and Dobby is here to rescue Master Malfoy and Miss Granger!" Dobby shouted from the tent. That was our signal, because the wolf sprang from the bushes before I could keep track and from my own hiding place I could hear muffled shouting and _wailing. _

_`They were Voldemort's own snatchers and death eaters? ` _I thought slightly amused by just how pathetic they sounded. I shook my head as I griped the first branch of the tree and started to climb up-ward. As soon as I was safely perched on top of the tallest branch I looked down to see at least twenty of them all passed out from either fear or sever blood-loss. I cast _Homenun Revelio _just to check that he hadn't killed them by accident and felt a strange pulsing sensation in me. That had to be at least twenty heart beats, so they were all alive. I stayed where I was for at least five minutes before a bark was my signal that it was safe to come back down. When I reached the ground the wolf turned sharply and was now facing me, ears flat against its skull, tail raised. I once remembered Sirius saying that he had a `sweet disposition` as a dog. I just hoped this _dog _recognised me quickly before it got confused and ate me!

`_Calm down Hermione! I won't hurt you, trust me! ` _It was Draco's voice in my head!? _Ok that's it _I think _I have officially gone mad!_

I look back to the animal in front of me and it was an all too familiar _smirk _was curving at the beginning of its muzzle. _Insufferable, little ferret!_

"Ok Draco! You can change back now!" I turned round and headed for the bushes but just as I had reached the gap something tapped me on the shoulder and I freeze, blood boiling slightly and stammering with the uncontrollable blush that rushes to my face.

"Can I have my clothes back now?" I heard Draco smugly mutter directly behind me.


	10. Chapter 10

Authors Note: Hi, here's the latest chapter, just wanted to say that I have also posted another story, a one-shot called `Of Love and Desire...` if anyone read that it would be hugely appreciated. Thank you everyone for sticking with my story and for the amazing reviews, until next time... :-)

_CHAPTER WARRNING: DRAMIONE FLUFF WARRNING..._

* * *

Chapter 10... Friendship and Forgiveness...

"_You put your arms around me and I'm home..." Arm's- Christina Perri..._

_Draco's POV..._

A few hours later and twilight was already descending on the sky, Dobby had disapparated off long ago. He didn't tell us anything else apart from, "Dobby is sorry he must leave your assistance but there are other people he must see, but be ready for when Dobby return's for if that does happen then we will all have to depart this forest immediately!"

And then with a silent _pop_ he was gone. After I had got back changed- much to the obvious delight of Hermione- all though...

"I can see right through you... I know th" I muttered just loudly enough so she could hear me.

"You .shut .up!"

I heard her shout from inside the tent. I think she's still a bit mad from earlier. Don't you? I'm not done there...

"_Miones' mad at me..."_ I sang through the trees, much to my own amusement of hearing her trip over the dozen books' she has in the tent as soon as I started...

"We argued the other day... Why can't she seeee! She's" I paused slightly wondering what to sing next and smirked when I had an idea.

"_Why can't she see, she's just to"_

"I SAID SHUT UP DRACO!" Ok, so _she might off heard me..._

I waited a total of forty minutes before deciding that it was safe enough to saunter back inside just so I could annoy her more. _The thing is I don't like hurting her feelings no matter what people think; it's just funny to see her so riled up!_

"Get in here now, ferret!" Hermione shouted.

When I finally do reach the tent she is stood facing me, arms folded across her chest and an expression of thunder on her face.

"You" She _pointed _at me!

"Yes, dearest?" I asked as innocently as possible.

"_Sit" _She commanded. I just yawned at her and stayed standing much to her dislike.

"Didn't mummy ever _tell _you that it was _rude _to _point `Mione?" _I whispered as seductively as I could. She looked slightly flustered and then even more so when I smirked at her.

_Oh the joys of annoying one Hermione Granger! See after the `incident` earlier that she refuses to talk about... I discovered the revelation that she is most embarrassed with the prospect that a male may actually like her! This is ridiculous! Potter and weasel-bee were idiots for being so blind! If I was best friends with a girl for seven year's straight then I would like to think that it would be going somewhere and that I would eventually ask her out. I mean, it makes sense doesn't it! Especially if it was Hermione Granger! I mean LOOK AT HER! SHE'S BEAUTIFUL!_

I choked slightly on my own spit when I think that... _Where did that come from! Your just friend's! _I just shake my head at my own stupidity.

When she had picked her jaw up from the floor, it was going darker outside so I made to walk to my bed but her hand caught my wrist.

"C-can we talk?" She asked. I must have looked confused, stupid or _both. _She continued to explain when I still didn't get it.

"I-it-j-just when we were talking earlier then you seemed to want to tell me more. And I still have some questions for you" She looked into my eyes then and they were just doe like. I don't know why but when she looked at me like that it was like I was under the _Imperius _curse.

"Certainly, but what about?" I asked.

"Well, it's just we don't- I mean – w-we don't really know each other that well... considering the circumstances were in then it would be nice if we just took time out to talk... and get to know each other better" She finished lamely. I just raised my eyebrows and smiled down at her.

"Yeah, talking would be nice..." I whispered.

_Talking _went out the window fairly quickly and was instead replaced by uncontrollable snorts and giggles. We were just lay side by side on one of the beds.

"S-so let me get this straight! Weasley literally flew across the room and _squealed _as he did so?!" I choked on my laughter.

"Yep, he did. You see it was fifth year and we had already formed Dumbledore's army."

I remembered that year well because it was the year my father ordered me to join the intesaqural squad so I could spy on _The-boy-who-just-won't-die and co_. Along with being a prefect it was a lot to deal with, though it was worth it to see Potter's face when he got busted by Umbrige, Flinch and the rest of us. I will admit that _slapping _him and almost using the _cruciartus curse _on a fifteen year old is going too far.

_Thank God Hermione told Umbrige about that secret weapon whatever it was... _I thought briefly.

"So Harry was teaching us how to stun our opponent's- with_ Stupefy_... And I was partnered with Ron and I was already still a bit mad at him for the year before" She explained, but I cut her off.

"Why were you mad at him, I mean don't get me wrong... he's an idiot." I stopped insulting him when she glared at me.

"Sorry, why were you mad at him?" I muttered.

"Well- God this is embarrassing- but in fourth year near the time of the Yule ball Ronald asked me to be his date and I quote `_Hey, Hermione you're a girl, right? `_. I mean, _come on! _He said it as if that was a question that needed to be asked! I mean _clearly!" _She gestured down to herself and the only thing that I kept telling myself to do was _`don't look; it will get worse for you if you do! `._

"Clearly" I muttered weakly.

"Anyway what about you? I mean you always used to have back up by Crabbe and Goyle so..." She asked.

"Oh, yeah of course I did! Since they come from a family of pure-blood as well then my father paid their father's to have their son's `be friend` me at Hogwarts. But I still don't until this day know there first names'!" I explained to her and she looked saddened.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"N-nothing it's just..."

"Just what?"

"It's just you never let anyone in. I mean... on the very first day of Hogwarts you asked Harry to be your friend and when he turned you down you spent the rest of our school lives making all three of us miserable..." By the time she had finished the words had still not sunk in...

I took a deep breath and uttered the word's I had been meaning to say ever since we got into this mess and for the last seven years.

"I'm _so _sorry, Hermione...Making fun of Weasley and his family- when their _far_ better wizard's then the Malfoy's will _ever_ be... Potter, saying the _awful_ things I did to him last year _and_ breaking his nose. Calling _you_ a MudBlood... As soon as that word slipe- NO, _not_ slipped. _I have no excuses._ I have regretted it _every single day_ since second year and you will _never_ know how _sorry_ I truly am. _No one_ has any right to judge you for your blood status because the thing is its all _utter rubbish! All of it!_ I have _never_ believed in any of it and I _never_ will. In fact there's no such thing as _`Blood status'_ or _`Blood traitor`_ or even a _`MudBlood`_ for that matter. What matters is _you!_ And let's face it what _would_ they judge you on! Nothing! _You- you're just..."_ I trailed of then realizing that she had not spoken one word during my speech.

I glanced down at Hermione to see her staring up at me, with tears in her wide, whiskey eyes that were slowly cascading down her face.

_Oh, no _I thought, panicking _what have I said?_

But she smiled at me through her tears. Without warning her arms were around my neck and I was being crushed to her in an embrace, it was meant to be a hug but... It just _felt like more... _She buried her face in my shoulder.

"_I forgive you" _She whispered. I felt the weight of the last seven year's leave me in an instant. My own arms automatically wrapped around her waist, and we just stayed like that for a while, holding each other. It wasn't until about five full minute's in that I begun to register just how _intimate_ this hug was and what really surprised me the most was my own reaction to it. I mean I have gone in a space of five minutes from... shock to happiness to nausea and stomach ache and I was not ill, far from it actually. For when I was in her embrace it just felt like... _home. _

I sighed, Hermione still keeping her arms around my neck and mine still around her waist. Also it wasn't until she barely let me go that I saw just how close we had gotten since we had parted. We were chest to chest and her face was now inches from mine. _Had she always been this beautiful? It was like being in the presence of an angel and if this was what an angel looked like then I would gladly accept death with a smile. So long as she never left me._ She unwrapped herself from me, blushing as she did so, and made to walk over to her own bed. I couldn't bear it if she left me now, so I stretched my hand out to her and caught her finger's and entwined them with mine. She turned to face me with confusion on her face.

"Stay with me? Just for tonight?" I whispered tentatively. Her expression quickly turned from confusion to deeply disturbed horror.

_Oh God _I thought _now what?!_

"_You" She started. I cut her of mortified that she would even think..._

"NO OF COURSE NOT!" I exclaimed.

"_Just what do you take me for?! Honestly..." _I shook my head at her.

"Oh, sorry" She muttered clearly embarrassed about jumping to such conclusion's as _that!_

_Well _I thought bitterly _this is awkward... She now hate's you! Well done Draco you have finally done the impossible and broke Hermione Granger._

I stopped thinking however when a hand was franticly waving in front of my eyes.

"Draco are even you listening to me? Hello!" She shouted practically in my ear.

"Ow, ow! Yes? What is it?" I asked her.

"Ok, I`ll stay. But..." She _smirked _at _me!_

"Is it because you afraid of the dark?" She asked her tone half-teasing yet half-gentle.

_No _I thought _It's because I don't want to lose you or let you go ye- no not yet...__**ever.**_

"Ok" I admitted.

"Yes, laugh if you want- Draco Malfoy is scared of the dark!" But when I did look at her she was not laughing she was smiling.

"Why are you smiling?" I asked her confused.

"No, it's just... I think that its, well... _cute and sweet."_ She muttered embarrassed.

"What?! _M-Malfoy's are-e n-not cu- really!?" _I stammered.

"Yes, really!" She giggled.

"Err... thank you." I ducked my head, making my fringe fall in front of my face so she couldn't see a pink tinge appear in my cheeks.

She yawned and I chuckled taking her wrist and leading her to my bed. I hopped under the cover's first and opened them slightly so she could climb in after me. I- as unusual- took time and care to straighten the pillow's and quilts', just to have her nag me not to `be a baby and stop fussing`. I just sighed and nestled even deeper in the covers. I swallowed when she placed her arms around my neck once more and buried her head in my chest, but responded immediately by wrapping my own arms around her waist and placing my chin at the top of her head. Our legs entangled them self's with the other's.

"Good night Draco" She whispered and within mere second's I could feel small whip's of her breath floating across my face as her head was tilting upwards slightly. I just stayed like that for a while holding her in my arms. Silently cursing myself for not doing this sooner and for wasting seven whole years' without her company or her _affection._

"_Good night `Mione" I whispered and gently fell into a perfectly dreamless sleep..._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11... If it's a fight they want then it's a fire we get...

"Don't you dare look out your window, _darling every thing's on fire, the war outside our door keeps raging on."_ Safe and Sound- Taylor Swift... (Madilyn Bailey cover)

_Hermione's POV..._

I was startled awake by a load _crack. _I shot bolt upright in bed; hitting Draco in the face in the process and making him wake up himself up by falling with on the floor an undignified _thud_. I whirled my head round to the cause of this rude awakening to find Dobby stood there looking rather sheepish, with his skinny arms around his back and an apologetic look on his small face.

"Err, Dobby is sorry to intru" The elf started but was interrupted by a very groggy and very much tired Draco.

"D-Dobby! What are you doing back here so soon?" He exclaimed.

"Well Draco, sir. Dobby has more news's of your father's plan's..." Dobby explained. I could feel Draco shifting nervously behind me but he nodded for Dobby to continue anyway.

"You see Draco, master Lucius Malfoy is very much... set in his ways. And has gone behind his wife's back to... see that you are... Oh how does Dobby say this? _Dealt with" _I heard a sigh behind me and looked round to see Draco sitting on the edge of the mattress, muttering to himself.

"Why does he think he can? So much for unconditional love for you're only _son! Right that's it!"_ He stood up then and faced me and Dobby.

"If my father wants' me _dealt with. _Then we won't back down without a fight! Dobby, did my father say who he was sending and when?" Draco asked Dobby.

I had to admit I was rather... _thrilled and flustered_ by his immediate plan of action. Harry and Ron would off just turned to me for help and asked me. But like me Draco's mind was obviously all ready five steps ahead of anyone else's. Poor Dobby looked slightly taken aback by his questions but answered them anyway.

"Y-yes, he did. Lucius said that: `My _son _will be finished by the end of the week. And I shall send Greyback and Bellatrix to _get it done. `" _My stomach dropped from underneath me when Dobby said Bellatrix and Greyback. There was no way we could best them and at least fifty other snatcher's and death eater's on our own. I glanced panic stricken at Draco but he was _smirking! _

_That is it _I thought _He has officially lost it!_

"What on earth are you _smirking at?" _I shouted hysterically.

I was pleased to see him jump and yelp slightly at my outburst. He smiled once more and turned to me.

"Hermione you're forgetting one thing! _I'm an animagus! If you were one to then we could both out run them all! Quite literally!" _He exclaimed joyfully and I just beamed at him. I half expected him to start skipping merrily up and down the tent and giggled slightly to myself at the image. On other matters I had always somewhat dreamed of being an animagus.

"Of course! You could teach me! I meant to say please..." I trailed of sheepishly. But Draco just rolled his eye at my outburst, grinned at me and nodded.

"Ok I will, but I've only ever taught myself... well technically not _taught _it just sort of _happened _on its own i-it's kind of hard to explain." He muttered.

"Why what happened?" I asked, anxious at the possibility that it could off hurt him somehow. _Don't be stupid Hermione _I though irritated at myself for fussing over him like that _He was fine... Please let him of been fine _I thought as an afterthought.

"It didn't hurt; in fact it was completely painless!" He explained.

_Thank God he was ok! _I thought and then scolded myself once more _stop it now!_

"Although that was because I was asleep when it happened..." He muttered all most to himself.

"Ok I _need _to hear this!" I exclaimed and Draco went on to explain how he had had his worst fight with his father yet, in the summer before seventh year was due to begin. They had been arguing about Voldemort and their family when it had got out of hand and Lucius _cruicio'd _Draco.

By the time he finished explaining tears were streaming down my face at the thought of him doing that to his _own son, _and at the _mere thought_ of Draco going thorough that at all just sent me over the edge. Not even caring that Dobby was stood in the tent with us, I all but ran at him and flung my arms around his neck. He almost toppled over back ward's, completely taken by surprise by my sudden ambush of affection but still wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Hey... Shh, Shh. What's wrong?" He asked with great concern bordering on tenderness.

"T-that monster! Wh-y-y would he?!" I sobbed into his shoulder.

"Its' okay. Why would he what?" I just looked up at him with hopelessness in my eyes, and something must have clicked because he just crushed me to him and put his lips to my ear.

"Shh... it's ok, I _swear _to you. I'm not going anywhere any time soon. I pinkie promise." With that he stretched his hand down and linked the smallest finger of his hand to mine and squeezed. Once I had eventually calmed down I pulled back from his embrace and folded my arms across my chest, face flushing scarlet red at my sudden attack on him.

"So" I muttered awkwardly.

"What was that about me being an animagus?"

He just smiled at me took my hand and pulled me outside, into the forest. But when we reached the opening of the tent we were both shocked to discover that the once grass covered ground was now a pure, crisp and beautiful winter wonder land.

"Hermione? Exactly how long have we been in the tent?" Draco asked me.

"I have no idea" I replied slightly dazed by the scene in front of me when an idea sprang to mind.

"Draco look over there!" I shouted and pointed towards the lake.

"What? Where" He asked walking towards it.

"Right"

I walked back a few meter's.

"Over"

I crouched down and felt for some snow.

"THERE!" He spun on his heel but was not fast enough to draw his wand when at least a dozen snow ball's came pelting his way and he was on the ground, whimpering and being melodramatic about it all.

"You've _killed_ me! No, _it's_ killed me!" He winced.

Although it was funny to see him lying there covered in snow I still felt slightly bad so I trudged over to help him up. However as soon as his hand gripped mine I was throw forwards and soon found myself pinned to the ground by none other than the twitchy little ferret himself. I looked up startled and embarrassed to see him pinning my weight with his. Once again I tried not to hyperventilate and failed much his amusement. He just cocked his head to the side and smirked down at me.

"What's wrong Mione?" He whispered, I know it was not meant to sound _that_ _seductive _but I still had trouble trying not to pass out. I tried to move my writs but was left gapping at him when he moved his hands faster than I could keep track to hold my writs above my head so that most of his weight and _Draco himself _was lying on top of me with just his knee's resting at either side of my stomach for support.

"C-can you get of me now?!" I stammer slightly helpless to him. To make it worse he takes his time thinking about it just to make me tenser by the second.

"Hmm, let me see... _no" _He stares down at me with a thoughtful expression on his face. He dips his head to its resting against my shoulder.

"See what I'm going to do `Mione is keep you hear for a while" He whispers.

Fine if _that _is how he wants to play it then be my guest! Swallowing my nerve and summoning all of my Gryffindor courage and the female charm that I _should have... I look him in the eyes and try to say as quietly, innocently, coyly and seductively as I can._

"Just why would you do that, _dearest?" _I fight a smile when the smirk drops from his face and is replaced by a look of steely determination. As he gases down at me neither of us is smiling now. He leans ever closer... he's barely inches from me now and our noses are all but brushing.

"Well, _Hermione_" He breathes. _Don't faint..._

"_Dobby isn't here now is he?" _Clearly it's meant to be rhetorical but he wants' me to answer. It was true; we had heard him disapparate of somewhere else when we walked out the tent.

"N-no" I answer honestly but kind of wishing he would get back here _now!_

He smirks down at me once more, gets of me and holds his hand out for me to grasp.

Now _that _was a _test!" _He exclaimed, looking rather pleased with himself.

"_Wait! What!?" _I shout half relived half angered, at him for putting me through all that for no apparent reason what so ever expect to see me squirm.

"Yes, it was, and you _almost _passed!" He said it as if it made the situation better and it would save him from me strangling him. I just glared at him and he took it as a hint that it would be best for him to shut up now.

"So" He chuckled nervously.

"About those lessons" He muttered.

He shrugged of his jacket, shoes and socks all of which were black.

"Why do you keep wearing that suit?" I asked him. He just frowned at me and looked puzzled.

"I mean you lived in it last year, so why wear it now?" I continued.

He cringed slightly and sighed.

"I-I don't know exactly why. It just... comforts me in some way, it's hard to explain. It's like- Did you ever have a teddy or perhaps a _book" _He smirked at me when I rolled my eyes at him for stating the obvious.

"That just helped you to get through some thinks? Well it's like that and well let's face it" He gestured to himself.

"_Look at me!" _His smirk became even more prominent when he saw the blush rise in my face. I started walking backwards when I stalked towards me at a brisk pace.

"Now then" He whispered.

"Lesson 1: To _become _an animagus you first need to know how to defend yourself against one and how to _fight _one" He stopped a few meter's from me`.

"And that my dear friend is where _I _come in!"

Without a warning he leapt forwards and tackled me into the snow.

"Ahh... To slow!" He taunted.

I glared up at him. _Right that is it!_

He had his hands at either side of my head so my arms were free... He threw himself off of me when my hand flew for his face.

He just laughed.

"Good, good, but now what?" He was now on the ground and I was standing over him. I felt my ankle being dragged out from underneath me but I kicked him in the chest at the last minute. He yelped in pain in the snow while I picked myself of the floor. He stared up at me and grinned and my own smile dropped from my mouth as he rolled over forwards on his shoulders, pounced and I was now being pinned down once more. He sighed and stood up over me. I took his hand when he offered it and twisted it behind his back.

"Now what?" I muttered in his ear. He turned his head and glared at me, with a playful smile on his face.

"I'll give you a five second head start." He whispered before twisting from my grasp and walking backwards.

I didn't understand what he was doing at first but started to set off at a run as soon as I saw his suit close in on its self and a few patches of white fur sticking out of it. I had just leapt over the lake when I heard not so distant leg's chasing me. I panicked slightly, I had two legs and Draco now had four. So he was a lot faster. But... his brain is now a lot smaller so...

I fired several jinxes at him and judging by the whelps and pained barks they hit their mark. I smiled but it vanished when I felt teeth nipping at my ankles, so I kicked but only got even larger bites in return. I sighed before turning suddenly on my heel, only to have a snowy fur ball being thrown at me. I looked up to see a face not far from mine.

"Well that was a fun walk!" Draco chuckled and looked down, noticing how I was keeping my eyes locked on his face. He sighed.

"Don't worry! I _am _dressed!" He exclaimed and got of me.

I stood up to see he was right.

"Wait if you're dressed _now _then how come you weren't when the death eaters attacked?!" I questioned him.

"I have _no _idea!" He lied and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Ok, ok! It takes some time to learn how to do it right but you can change back into a human with your clothes on if you were already wearing them before you started to change." He explained.

"So the other day when you..." I trailed off and pinched the bridge of my nose when he fell over laughing as I figured the rest out.

"Yeah! That was just to see you get embarrassed!" He choked.

_I hope he does __chokes on his spit! _I thought bitterly as he continued to roll around, laughing, looking like a complete and utter idiot as he did so. When had eventually picked himself off of the floor- after me pushing him down again much to his own amusement and pain- we started to walk back towards the tent.

"So why did yo" He started to say more but the words seem to die on his tongue when he stopped dead in his tracks and gripped my arm tight.

"`Mione?" Draco whispered, he sounded terrified.

"What is it?" I asked him taking note of how he went paler then usual and swallowed slightly. I turned my head towards then tent to see a figure standing not that far from where we were with their back to us. Her wild, raven hair flying in the wind and her pale face searching franticly for something –or someone- inside. She leaned forwards to stand in the opening of the tent.

"Greyback!" The woman called into the tent.

"There not hear!" She shouted.

"Daddy's little _brat, _and his precious MudBlood" I felt the hand on my arm tighten almost painfully and I heard Draco grit his teeth and swallow.

"Lover is gone!"

Despite the situation we were now in I felt the blood rush to my face at the word `Lover` and glanced over at Draco quickly to see the small pink tinge in his face appear. I looked at him funny when I saw him take a deep breath through his nose.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed, panicking.

"Shh... I can smell them!" He whispered.

I stood there slightly worried for his health when he cocked his head to the side.

"And _yes _I _can _hear them to" He answered the confused look on my face.

"W-what are they saying then?!" I whispered franticly to him and he put his hand to my mouth to quieten me.

"I can't hear then over you _talking!" _He snapped, and glanced at me.

"Sorry" He muttered. He crouched down slightly and stalked forward towards.

"What are y-?!" I started.

"I need to get closer to hear them better!" He explained. I honestly had no idea how he could do all of this. My only guess would be that in was a side effect of being an animagus- or at least a wolf one. He made it to a tree about five meters away from the death eaters and stopped gesturing wildly to come to him. I jogged as quietly as possible to stand next to him.

"Now what?" I asked him and he slid down the tree so as to sit against it.

"Now we wait" He stated, I nodded and sat down next to him, leaning my head against Draco's shoulder.

I must off started to fall asleep but it was the sudden appearance of a bright light that woke me from my slow slumber. I was hauled to my feet by a frantic Draco. At first I couldn't understand what had made him like this, but as we turned and sprinted towards the tent I understood why. The blazing mass of flame's that was once our tent was now starting to silently smolder among the tress and we stood helpless as we watched our only shelter burn before our eyes.

"Are they gone?" I muttered to him.

"Yeah" He replied.

I looked over to see that Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback had indeed left.

"For now" He whispered softly.

"B-but what were they looking for, apart from us?" He asked me.

I narrowed my eyes at the now fully smoldering wreck in front of us.

"Hang on a moment, I think I see something... yes, that's it" I walked forwards and took out my wand.

"_Agromanti" _I shouted and a jet of water shot from my wand, engulfed the tent and within seconds it was just a pile of charred wood. When the flames were completely drowned in water then I reached out and rummaged in the wreckage for the object.

"Oh my God..." I breathed, staring down at the item in my hand.

"This i-is wh-at they were-e searching f-for" I stammered.

I looked at Draco and he frowned completely oblivious to the responsibility that we now bore.

To mission that was now ours.

He held out his hand and I placed the ancient locket of Salazar Slytherin in his out stretched hand...


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12... The Tale Of The Three Brothers, Horcruxes and A Mission...

"_I don't have a choice, but I'd still choice you..." The Civil Wars- Poison & Wine..._

_Draco's POV..._

As I wake and at least attempt to move my rigid limbs of the mattress, I think of the staggering amount of information I received of Hermione yesterday. That the locket is a piece of Voldemort's soul- a Horcrux-, and we had to find and destroy all of them. Before He found out and tried to kill us... again. Absentmindedly my hand snake's inside collar of my shirt and my finger's brush the icy surface of the locket that lie's against my chest. I snatch my finger's away however when I feel a tiny but strong metal heartbeat against my skin. I shudder slightly. My first instinct is to throw it across the shabby and dim room, leave it there and get as far away as possible from the vile, evil _thing_.

How can one man no not _man, human _kill so many innocent people?! I _loathe _Potter but because of Him he has had to go all of his life with no family no mother or father there for him. But wait, he's had Weasley's lot, and Hermione. Not to mention all those _Gryffindor's. _Speaking of Gryffindor's... Talk of the ange- devil, and she shall appear...

"Draco, I need you to see something, right away!" Hermione exclaims as she bounces (quite literally) into the sitting room, an expression of child like delight on her features. I sigh and haul my weight of the small make-shift bed. I glance around at the less than cosy sitting room, not much has changed in the space of twenty-four hours, has it? We are currently staying in- or what I am told is- the head quarters of the order of the phoenix and the old house of the late Sirius Black and newly inherited house of _Potter, _he refused to have any use of it though. Stubborn idiot.

"Here it is" She says, as she thrust's some kind of book into my hands. I stare at her, completely bewildered as to why she could look so happy yet so confused at the same time. I look down at the cover and almost choke, fighting the lump in my throat at what I see written on the front. The title read's `The Tale's Of Beedle The Bard`. Despite the small droplets of tear's that stain my face I cannot help but smile at her.

"You a-are _b-brill-ent, _Hermione!" I splutter.

"Draco, what's wrong?" Hermione asks, as she moves from her position opposite me at the table to sit beside me on the same bench.

"N-nothing, it's just... My mother used to read me these, every night before bed time." I revile to a very shocked looking Hermione. She nod's for me to continue.

"It's... not the same is it?" She just look's puzzled.

"Without them I mean. You're family" I add. She take's in a shaky breath and rest's her head against my shoulder.

"I know how you feel. When we first came on this mission, Harry, Ron and me. I had to... obliterate my parent's memories of me. They don't even know that I exist anymore. There not even aware they have a daughter." I can't stand the hopelessness and pain in her voice then so I do what I always do and wrap my arms around her waist in a hug. I smile to myself slightly as I realize just how _easy _this is. She eventually after at least half an hour of hugging in a very comfortable silence relaxes her vise like grip around my neck (much to my disappointment) and turn's back to the table.

"So about this book..." She trails of and lift's the front cover up.

There resting in the top right corner is a curious little symbol.

"Well I know that it's defiantly _not _a ruin... I mean just look at how un-detailed it" We break of in fits of giggle's when we realize we've said the exact same thing. Once we have both calmed down, I take the book of her gently, as though it might rip at the slightest touch and continue to examine the symbol. Someone had inked in a straight vertical line down the page, added a circle on top of the line and enclosed them both in a triangle. I dropped the book, stunned into silence by what I saw. I blinked a few time's, making sure I had seen what I thought I saw and checking that I was not going insane. I made a dive for the book and started to frantically riffle though the aged pages, ignoring the concerned look's that Hermione was giving me, all the while muttering `It was supposed to be a myth... It's not possible...` We both gasped when I landed on the page I was looking for... _The Tale Of The Three Brother's._

"You don't think..." Hermione started

"That it's all true? Yes, certainly" I finished. I handed the book back to her wordlessly and nodded. She cleared her throat... and began reading.

"_There were once three brother's who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across." _I had heard this tale a thousand times during my child-hood; it was my second favorite, next to _Babbity Rabbity And Her Crackling Stump. _

Almost immediately an image of a much smaller Draco badgering mother to read it to me again for tenth time that evening pops into my mind.

"_Howe- _You, _Draco_" I snap out of memory line when a hand waved in front of my face.

"What?" I asked dazed.

"You were smiling... Why?" She asks.

"Nothing" She just raises an eye brow at me, clearly unconvinced.

"I'll tell you later" I mutter.

"Wait, I know why _I _was smiling, but why were _you?_" I ask her.

Her cheeks immediately flush beet red.

"Well" Hermione whisper's timidly.

"Because you were"

She admits much to her embarrassment.

I can't help but just stare at her silently captivated by her innocence. I don't stop staring until she catches me and I feel heat rush into my face. I clear my throat awkwardly and swallow.

"So, about that story?"

I nudge her to continue, but she says nothing and sits there silently gazing at me.

"What's wrong?" I mutter.

"Nothing it's just... you have a few tear stain's... right... there" She whisper's barely audible as she tenderly brings her finger's up to my face and softly wipes my face. I close my eyes at her touch, silently hoping that I will be able to remember this piece however small of bliss forever.

"_Mione`, the story?"_ I remind her.

"Oh, yes... of course" I open my eyes once more to find her still sat next to me, but facing the book which is laid out on the table in front of us. I sigh to myself and turn so I am looking over her shoulder as she start's to read once more.

"_However, these brothers' were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were half way across it when they found there path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers' upon their magic and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him."_

"_So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duel's for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother. Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead."_

"_And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility"_

"Hang on!" I interrupt her.

"How the _heck _has _Death _got an Invisibility cloak?! I mean he's not that _smart _Death, I mean." I continue to rant, not noticing that Hermione is almost killing me with the death glare...

"What kind of _moron _would give someone their own Invisibility Cloak? You'd have to be really"

I shut up when I saw the look on Hermione's face.

"Sorry, Hermione"

"Please continue" I muttered sheepishly, like a child who had been told of by his mother.

"Do _you _want to read it?!" She snaps.

"N-no" I laugh nervously.

She rolled her eyes and continued.

"_Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had, and admiring Deaths gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination. The first brother traveled on for week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the dual that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible."_

"_That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand, and for good measure, slit the brother's throat. And so Death took the first brother for his own. Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry before her untimely death, appeared at once before him."_

"_Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her. And so Death took the second brother for his own."_

"_But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took of the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and equals, they departed this life..."_

We both looked up at each other at the same time then, an insane idea occurring to us both but brilliant, nevertheless.

"Does this place have any quills?" I asked her as I started rummaging in cupboards and draws all over the kitchen.

"Yes, I do" I turned round to see her twirling one in her fingers. She tossed it to me and as soon as I caught it I yanked a piece of spare parchment towards me.

"Ok so there's the Elder wand" I muttered.

I drew a single line down the center of the parchment.

"The resurrection stone" Continued Hermione.

I over lapped the line with a small circle.

"The Cloak of Invisibility" I finished, as I encased the line and circle with a triangle.

"The Deathly Hallows" We both whispered in awe.

"You don't think?" I muttered.

"That it's actually _real?!"_ I glanced at Hermione but she just rolled her eyes and shook her head at me.

"Well of course there _not!"_ She exclaimed suddenly, not even bothering to keep the skepticism out of her voice. I stared at her dumbfounded.

"Please Hermione. Think about it! If these objects are real and they truly exist then it is our only hope of killing him once and for all!" I tried to reason with her. To my surprise she just grinned at me.

"Then you'll do it?!" She asked.

"Do what exactly?" I frowned.

"Then you'll help me track these things down and kill him?" She said.

"Well I don't see that we have much choice. I mean it's either that or we all die... So yes! I'll do it" I think I heard something like a squeal before I was staggering backwards, almost toppling over. Her arms were locked around my neck and her legs around my waist.

"Err... `Mione? You're strangling me... can't... breathe... _help_"

She still doesn't get of me, just relaxes her choke hold on my neck slightly and pulls back to look at me.

"I don't have a choice in this but... I'll choose you. So I'm with you whatever happens" I whisper. She beams at me and hugs me even tighter.

"Thank you Draco" She breathes.

I can't hold back the goofy grin that spreads onto my face. Suddenly she tenses slightly and when I look at her we both just stare dumbly at how her legs are _still _around my waist. To my great disappointment she unwraps herself from around me and walks over to the table and perches of the chair not saying a word. I frown, walk over to her and sit on the chair opposite.

"Hermione are you alright?" I ask attentively.

She's not, I can tell from the small but obvious sniffles. I bite my lip nervously. I hate seeing her cry like this. It's awful, it's like a part of me is hurting with her, literally, because now my heart is aching and dread fills me at the sight of the tears gently caressing her face.

"It's just... I miss them" She whispers barely audible.

"What were they like? Potter and Weasley?" I ask. I smile when she manages to giggle slightly.

"Well, I will admit having a fair few crushes on Harry throughout the years" She mutters getting very embarrassed.

"_I knew it"_ I exclaim.

"When?" I ask her.

"You don't really want to hear all about this do you? It can get really boring sometimes listening to me go on and on about..." She stops in her tracks when I nod eagerly. She smiles at me and gestures over to the couch that sits in the corner. She gently takes my hand and leads me over to the couch, it's fairly wide, and so she lies down in the corner and pats the space next to her. I hesitate not really understanding why I'm so nervous. I mean we've lain _in a bed _together and that was fine! And yet something seems different now more... just _more. _And yet I want nothing more than to lie there with her as long as she'll let me. I shake my head and I hear her giggle, I must off looked like a dog. I can't help but another grin spread onto my face at the sound, it truly is beautiful.

I swallow and perch on the edge, swing my legs round and kick my shoes of, she does the same. I don't even realize the position we are in. She turns round to face me and I do the same. Now I said this couch was wide but that doesn't stop the fact that our noses are inches away from brushing, but it's comfortable all the same. Her hair tickles the side of my face and she giggles once more when I wrinkle my nose. I can't help but laugh along with her.

"What's so funny?" I breathe, not being able to keep my face straight.

"You!" She blurts out randomly.

"It's just I've can't remember time's I've ever laughed so hard other than when I'm with you" She whispers, not keeping the affection out of her voice. I beam at her.

"Yeah" I admit, somewhat shyly.

"Me too" I whispered softly.

"So about the Horcruxes, where do we start?" I ask her and she frown's looking thoughtful.

"Well does any of you family member's have a vault at Gringott's?" She asks nervously.

I narrow my eye at her, suspicious.

"Yes, why?" I ask her warily.

"It's just there could be another Horcrux in there?! I mean we already have one!" Then without warning she reaches inside my shirt and pull's it out of my collar.

"I know but there's just one problem... _we don't know how to destroy them properly!" _She finches a bit at my outburst.

"Sorry" I mutter, taking her hand without really thinking about it much. I feel her shiver slightly.

"Are you cold?" I ask.

"No, far from it actually" She mutters, blushing. I smile and scoot closer so that her head is buried in my chest. I sigh. We don't speak for a while, just lie there with each other, at first I expect her to be a sleep and I am feeling tiered myself so I am about to summon a blanket when without warning she bolt's upright, her hand hitting the side of my face in the process.

"Ow! What was that for?!" I manage to shout, despite the immense pain I am now in. I don't think she's noticed.

"OH MY GOD!" She shout's pacing around the room frantically.

"How could I have been so stupid!? It was the answer all along!" She exclaimed.

_What on earth is she going on about?!_ I think dumbly.

"Hermione?! What are yo" I start to question her but she cuts in front of me.

"The sword of Godric's Gryffindor! Dirt and rust have no effect on the blade! It only takes in that which makes it stronger! Harry stabbed the Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor in our second year when he rescued Ginny in the chamber of secrets; its blade is impregnated with Basilisk venom! Which is..."

"_It can destroy Horcruxes!" _I finished, wide-eyed at how she could figure that all out. Her face fall's as if she's remembered something.

"But the sword... it was stolen. Plus Dumbledore left it to Harry in his will" She mutters. Her head snap's up once more and her eyes lock onto mine.

"Draco, when you where younger did you ever visit _any _of your family's vault's?" She asks me. Now that I think about it I did. But one time when I asked to go and see aunt Bellatrix's vault my mother refused, wait hang on?!

"I think I may know where a Horcrux is. In Bellatrix's vault at Gringott's" I told her.

"Are you sure? Because if we break in there an"

"_Wait, what?! You can't just break in to Gringott's!" _I exclaim.

"It's completely insane!" I try to reason with her but it's no use.

"We haven't got a choice" She says.

"So what are we going to do? I'm supposed to be at the manner in hiding and you're supposed to be with Potter? So basically that makes me a criminal _death eater_ and people think that you've vanished of the face of the earth! I mean it's not as if we can just stroll through the front door! If we get caught then what are we going to say as an excuse!? `Oh sorry about that we were just checking for a piece of You-Know-Who's soul! Doesn't matter now. Bye`" I waved to nothing in particular and looked round at Hermione to see her grinning at me.

"What are you smiling at _now_?" I asked, exasperated.

"Nothing, it's just cute and adorable when you go off on these little hissy-fits of yours!" She admits, blushing. I stare at her, not really knowing how to take this latest development.

"I do _not_ throw hiss- _wait?!_ You think I'm... _cute?_ _Adorable?!" _I splutter.

"Err... no. _Did I just say that out loud?" _She whispers that last part to herself, clearly mortified. I stand up from the couch, and silently walk over to her. She doesn't look up even when I'm inches away. She won't take her face out of her hands. It's quite endearing really.

"Umm...`Mione?" I whisper and she looks up, slightly startled at the sight of me standing so close all of a sudden. I smile at her, gently take her writs and hold them at her side. Take by surprise at the contact, she staggers back and is now against the wall with her arms pinned by her sides by my hands.

"What?" She mutters, clearly embarrassed, about it all and even more so by me.

"It's ok, you know and you can _look _at me" I chuckle at her being so shy. She does and her eyes grow wide, as if she never knew I was so close. I smile down at her whom she returns and I sigh. I let go of her writs and step back slightly but by the way her face falls at the loss of contact, and she looks _disappointed _almost.

"Ok we can do it" I say and she looks confused.

"Do what? I forgot what we were talking about" She stammers.

"If you want to break into a bank then we can break into a bank" I tell her and she smiles. Her arms are then around my neck in a brief hug which I return fondly.

"I'm going to go up stairs to explore. Are you coming?" She asks as she pulls back but keeps tight hold of my hand.

"Yes, ma'am" I mutter, and she grins.

We stroll through the house, talking about nothing in particular. We find an old room. The door has an ancient golden plate on it, all but black from decay and age. Labelled on it in silver writing is:

_`Spare Room num. 5`_

I raise my eyebrows.

"Well, well" I mutter.

"_Someone's rich_... I don't think even Malfoy Manner has at least _five _guest room's!" I exclaim. I look round to see that my right arm is stretching across the hallway and that on the other end of it Hermione is still holding my hand, not paying attention to me. I narrow my eyes and walk over.

"What are yo" I stop dead when I see the labelled.

`Sirius Black`

I feel the hand wrapped around mine squeeze reassuringly.

"Weren't you related to him?" She whispers.

"Yeah, I was. From what I was told by my father I was his first cousin once removed" I answer.

"I distantly remember him saying to me when I was ten years old that: `I don't want you involved with: 'A filthy blood traitor like that`. Of course it was all complete and utter rubbish. I would have wanted nothing better than to of gotten to know him myself"

"Then why didn't you?" She asks curiously. I close my eyes, tears of shame seeping from my eyes.

"Because... at the time I-I _believed it_, and if I could take it all back. I would" I admitted.

I swallow and start to move into the room when Hermione grips my shoulder. I turn to look at her.

"Are you sure you want to go in there?" She asks and I nod.

"Come with me?" I ask her nervously. In reply she tightens her hold on my hand and walks forward leading me into the room.

The room was spacious and must, once, have been handsome. There was a large bed with a carved wooden headboard, a tall window obscured by long velvet curtains and a chandelier thickly coated in dust, with candle stubs still resting in its sockets, solid wax hanging in frost-like drips. A fine film of dust covered the pictures on the walls and the bed's headboard; a spider's web stretched between the chandelier and the top of the large wooden wardrobe and as we moved ever deeper into the long un-habited room we heard the faint scurrying of disturbed mice.

"Well he clearly wasn't in Slytherin!" I gestured to the many Gryffindor banners strung to the walls. I staggered backwards in fright from the contraptions that I saw next plastered onto the still paper.

"_Hermione! He has monsters on his posters!" _I squeaked at her. She turned round and giggled at the look of terror on my face.

"Draco, there _not _monsters! There motor bikes! It's a way of transportation that Muggles use" She reassured me and I turned away once more silently thinking to myself: _`I want one! Why don't wizards use them!? They look so much fun! `._

I smirked (I had to admire his nerve) as my eye's then strayed to the Muggle girl's in the Muggle posters. I wasn't sure what I was more fascinated by, the fact the they weren't moving or the girls them self's, who weren't wearing much apart from bikini's, faded smile's and glazed over eye's that stared back through the faded, aged paper. I must have been staring for a while because after a time a hand was waving in front of my face.

"Hey, what are yo- oh" Muttered Hermione. I pried my eyes away from the paper, with great reluctance and glanced at her to see that she was glaring at me.

"Now if you're _quite_ _finished" _She spoke through gritted teeth.

"Sorry" I mumbled.

I smirked at her and said, just to annoy her even more...

"Hey, do you think you could get one of th" I had to duck several well aimed hex's.

"Maybe not" I rolled my eyes at her.

"Honestly, why are you such a prude?" I asked her.

"A _what?!" _I honestly thought for a second that laser beams were going to shoot from her eyes and roast me on the spot.

_Oh God _I think _this is it. I'm done for. This is the end. I'm dead..._

"I-I just-t meant that" I stammer helplessly.

"Meant what?" She demands.

"Err..." _Come on Draco, think!?_

_You have your charm you're practically irresistible! You just need to use it!_

"Oh, _`Mione" _I can see her visibly shiver when I call her that.

It's working!

"Didn't anyone ever tell you?" I ask as innocently as possible while slowly walking towards her, not tearing her gaze from mine.

"Tell me what?" She demands.

"That: _Beauty is graceful but confidence is sexy_"

"Actually I don't agree. I always preferred the term: To be graceful is to be confident but to be sexy all you have to be is beautiful" I give her a significant look and she just stands there, speechless.

"And why would _I _need to know _that_" She mutters.

I smirk at her and stroll out the room, leaving her dumbfounded.

"Oh, nothing" I shout over my shoulder at the top of the stairs.

"Just something to think about" I tell her.

* * *

"_So if it's just tonight, the animal inside, let it live and die"- Animal- Ke$ha..._

_Hermione's POV..._

"Ok, Hermione! Just like we practiced, ok?" Draco shouts. I nod, swallow and take of my jacket, shoes and socks. He's stood several yards away, just in-case.

"I can't do this, what if I hurt you?" I shout to him. I don't have to be stood right in front of him to know he's rolling his eyes.

"Honestly, we've practiced for five week's straight and I wouldn't let you do this if I didn't think you could handle it. I trust you" He answer's back. I see him smile in encouragement and nod. I close my eyes and whimper slightly when my bones start to ache. I grip the wall, desperate for Draco not to see me like this.

"Hermione are you alright?" I hear him call in panic.

I don't answer him, I can't. I think I hear a scream in the distance, and I don't even recognize my voice. It is the last thing I hear before I black out...

* * *

_Draco's POV..._

I watch her silently from a far. She's struggling clearly. It's not until I hear her scream and see her body drop in a crumpled heap to the floor that I sprint over. Deep down I know its working. This is how it always happens the first time round. It was just different for me because I wasn't entirely conscious at the time. Yet I still can't help the crushing sense of terror and anguish that consumes me. I kneel next to her to check her pulse. But as soon as my hand brushes the skin of her neck, she finches slightly. Her clothes seem to close in on themselves.

"Mione? Are you there?" I ask softly.

Suddenly I am flung backwards, my head colliding with the floor with an agonizing _smack. _I look up, terrified, only to be staring into a pair of familiar wide, whiskey eyes. My eyes widen as I take in the creature on top of me. White fur covers it's, slim body and I move my head to the right to see a small, but adorably fluffy tuft of chocolate-brown fur sticking out of its tail. Although she is normally quite petite the animal on top of me weighs a ton!

"You're really heavy. You do know that right?" I try to talk to her, since her ears are bigger than normal, she can hear me. Also I can obviously hear her when I change. A _huff _escapes her mouth, by the sound of her she wants me to shut up. Nice to know she's feeling alright. I try to move from under her but she won't budge.

"Err... Hermione. You're crushing me here." I tell her and the lioness glances down at me with barred teeth. I dig my face into the carpet and whimper when she nudges the side of my face with hers'. This, if she were normal, would have been nice. It's just when you're faced with two massive canine teeth, that it loses its appeal slightly.

I feel around on the floor to prop myself up but when I do, I am face to face with her. _Please recognize me... _I think desperately _I don't want death by Hermione the lion. _But she only cocks her head to the side curiously, nudging my neck and sniffing.

"Look I know I smell worse than my normal attractive sent bu"

To my shock she start's _purring_. I raise my eyebrows and stare at her. Her softer than normal head is resting on my stomach and her body is pinning me to the ground. Her huge paws are playful scratching my arms and her head starts to nuzzle my neck. Tentatively, I bring my hand up and place it on top of her head; I can't help but smile at how soft she is. Her purring get's even louder as I weave my fingers though her fur. I close my eyes as she nudges my face with her forcing me to open them again. I see her eyes widen in recognition, and I smirk slightly. If she was human she would be blushing now. Even as a very large cat she smells, well... _beautiful. _Like honey and apples.

I finally release the breath I had held since she first changed, when the feline gets of me and starts padding up and down the corridor, head whipping round every so often... like she's _protecting me_. I stand up slowly, as though I don't startle her, and make my way over to where she is now sat in facing me a few meters away. Eying her cautiously I sit down in front of her, staying perfectly still.

She narrows her wide eyes at me and sniffs, purring again when she must recognize my sent.

"Relax; its me `Mione. _Ferret boy..._" I trail of and glare halfheartedly at her when something resembling a smirk curves her muzzle and she sneezes to hide a snigger. When I am sure she won't eat me if I turn my back I stand up to move back down stairs and give her some space to move and some privacy if she changes back. I'm half way down the corridor when I hear a whimper behind me; I turn round to see Hermione up on all four paws, whimpering _at _me.

"You want me to _stay?_" I ask her. She jerks her head and purr's in response. When I don't move at first, she growl's impatiently. I start to walk towards her at a brisk pace so she doesn't bite my head off... _again_. As soon as I am within meters of her she all but lunges forwards and wraps her furry arms around my waist in a crushing hug. I look down to see that she's standing on her two hind legs. Her purring is giving me stomach ache and I bury my face in her fur. I smile. She's so beautiful like this. She growls when my fingers dig into her fur.

"Sorry" I mutter, starting to pull back, only to have the magnificent creature hold me tighter. The word's I speak next are uncontrollable, I can't stop myself from saying them, and it's as if they have waited to be said all along for seven years. Which in a way they have...

"You really are _beautiful_... Has anyone ever told you that? Well, _Potter_ can't look past his glasses to see just how much of a _perfect_ person you are and _Weasel-bee_ is just too much of a _fool_ to notice _anything_... but still. No one is _ever_ going to be good enough for you. No one..." I whisper, she hasn't moved an inch since I started talking so she's obviously fast asleep and didn't hear a thing.

_Thank Merlin _I think, relived. I use all the strength I can muster (which is a lot) and gently lay her down on the floor. I see her jaw open wide and a strangled screech that gets more human by the second come from her mouth. I see her legs start to give way, and slowly sick to the floor. Her paws grip the carpet, claws becoming blunter, shaping into delicate fingers. The silk white fur shed's reveling pearly, pale, sof-

I shake my head to clear my thoughts._ Wait... Stop right there! _I think _she's your friend. One is not allowed to have inappropriate... musing's about- who well could be- you're only friend in the world right now! Pull it together Draco!_ Once I get my bearings again, I see her. Lying a few meters away, back facing me, curled up in the fetal position. I look over my shoulder only to see her clothes, ripped to shreds and look back seeing that she is in fact _naked_. I bite my lip, weighing up my options. There's no way I can _carry _her without it getting _very _awkward for the both of us.

Sighing, I take of my jacket walk over and gently lay it over her like a blanket, careful not to touch or disturb her. I keep telling myself to only I physically _can't_ leave. I grimace when I remember that the only clothes we own now are the ones we escaped the forest with. So, keeping my eyes locked determinedly on the door down the corridor, I walk swiftly into one of the many bedrooms' to try and find her some clothes...

* * *

_Hermione's POV..._

_Have you ever been so shocked you could barely breathe?_

This is what it feels like now. Lying here, flesh digging into the carpet, mind reeling, pulse racing, heart pounding... In my head I try to convince myself that I am delusional but the blood rampaging through my veins at an unbearable pace and my heart fluttering inside my chest like a small bird say's otherwise. `

_`You really are beautiful; No one is ever going to be good enough for you. No one`. _

A smile breaks onto my face at those words. I lift my head slightly to check if he's still there, he's not. I start to get up when I hear a door open behind me. I'm hyper aware of the way his footstep echo in the corridor and I have no excuses for the way I can't help but shiver when he lay's a blanket on top of me, crouches beside me and softly brushes the hair out of my face. I don't have to have my eyes' open to know his fingers linger on my face and I fight yet another smile when his thumb slide's down my cheek.

I look up slightly when something drops in front of me and find that a fresh pile of clothes lie there folded perfectly with women's underwear on top. A girl must have lived here sometime, most likely Sirius's mother. He doesn't seem to notice me stir and just walks back down the stairs as if he was never there.

* * *

**_Authors Note:_**

_**Suddenly, a burning desire slammed into my gut, knocking the air out of my lungs, causing my mouth to water and my skin to flush hot.**_

_**"What's wrong?" Draco whispered, having no idea what he was putting me through. **_

_**I shouldn't feel this, because this was just... inconvenient. It was the wrong game and w- no, there was no we!**_

_**And yet as we continued to stare with new eyes, a burning shiver coursed down my spine, heating my blood to boiling point.**_


End file.
